Tangled Threads
by wackyjacqs
Summary: There are hundreds of threads in our lives, but sometimes you only need to pull one for everything to unravel. Takes place towards the end of season 8 'Threads'.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: ****This is the very first fic I ever wrote, some seven years ago now. Lately, I've had a few requests to repost it, so here it is! It is all written, and whilst it doesn't stray from the original premise of the fic, it has been updated and tidied up as I like to think my writing has improved over the years (I can but dream!). **

**Takes place shortly after Jacob's death in 'Threads'. **

* * *

Sam fidgeted nervously, shifting her weight from one foot to the other as she waited on the elevator. Sure, she could fight against an army of Jaffa warriors and not bat an eyelid, but ask her to meet her brother, and she just wanted to gate to the furthest planet possible. It wasn't that she didn't want to see her brother – on the contrary. Since their father had been given a second chance in life, they had reunited and started to repair their broken relationship. They were closer now than they had ever been since the death of their mother, but this was different. Their father was now also dead and Sam was left to pick up the pieces Jacob had left behind.

Closing her eyes, Sam took a deep breath in an attempt to steady her nerves. She was a soldier. _Soldier Sam_, as General O'Neill had once called her. She needed to stay strong, now more than ever. Her thoughts drifted as she thought back to when her father had arrived at the SGC.

* * *

_Her happiness at seeing her father step through the gate had soon turned to worry as he came closer._

_He'd looked different – older and frailer – which was ironic considering he was blended with __Selmak__, a 2,000-year old__symbiote. As he reached the bottom of the ramp, he had smiled and pulled her into an embrace, which she quickly returned._

_"Hi sweetheart," he said quietly, trying to dispel the worry she knew was etched clearly on her face._

_Sadly though, it turned out her worry was justified._

_Selmak __was dying, and taking her father too – and they didn't have long left. In fact, they had very little time in the end. There hadn't even been enough time for her dad to say goodbye to Mark._

_After Sam had received the call from the SGC, she returned to the base quickly, not bothering to change out of her civvies. She just ran as fast as she could to the Isolation Room where her father had been admitted. When she saw him lying on the bed, she stopped abruptly, her breath catching._

_"Dad?"_

_"It's __Selmak__ – he's dying."_

_"Oh, my God. I'm sorry."_

_"It's OK. He's OK. He led a pretty full life."_

_"I didn't live with__Jolinar__that long, but I think I have some idea what it's like."_

_"Well, this is a little different, Sam. As you know, when a __Tok'ra __symbiote __dies, they can prevent their host from dying – as __Jolinar __did with you. The problem is, that last selfless act requires a certain amount of energy and a conscious effort."_

_As much as Sam knew where this conversation was heading, the tiniest part of her hoped she had misunderstood her father._

_"What are you saying?"_

_"By all rights, __Selmak s__hould have been dead weeks ago. I wouldn't let him go. I thought we needed him – that I needed him to help you stop the Replicators."_

_"Dad?" her voice quivered, thick with emotion and she fought hard to keep the tears at bay._

_Looking at her apologetically, he confessed just how ill he really was._

_"He hung on as long as he could, then he slipped into a coma just after we activated the weapon on __Dakara."_

_"You've known all this time since then?"_

_"I didn't __want to __spoil your wedding. Now, I thought we could make it."_

_Sam stared at him, her eyes filled with tears. __"We?"_

_"He's barely alive. I'm __gonna __die with him, Sam."_

_At this, her heart broke and the barrier__ s__he had carefully built up over the years came crashing down. She was no longer a soldier. She was a little girl about to lose her father._

* * *

Sam shook her head in an attempt to try and push the memories aside. She needed to focus on her current situation. In all honesty, she should have been angry at her father's selfishness and the cost his decision to prolong Selmak's life had meant for his own. But she wasn't angry. Yes, she was upset that she had to watch her father die, but she also knew just how fortunate both she and her brother were. Four years ago, they had all been given a second chance to be a family.

Sighing deeply, she closed her eyes, anticipating her encounter with Mark. He'd be hurting more than she would, even if he wouldn't openly admit to it, and there was no doubt in her mind that he would have questions. Lots of questions which Sam couldn't answer – yet. He'd also definitely ask about Pete.

Sam sighed again as she pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling the pressure build in her head as it had done for the umpteenth time that day. On top of it all, there was something else bugging her. Namely, her father's final words to her, which had played around her mind from the moment he'd said them.

_Don't let rules stand in your way._

It was only hours later that she actually allowed herself to accept the real meaning behind her father's advice.

* * *

_As she had sat in the Observation Room, Sam watched as the final members of the __Tok'ra said goodbye to her father. She was focused on the scene before her, but she still felt his presence as soon as he stepped inside the room. Gently sitting in the chair beside her, she stole a glance at the general from the corner of her puffy, red eyes. He was watching Jacob, a sad look swarming his own eyes._

_"You OK?"_

_"Actually, I'm fine – good – even, strange as that sounds. I thought I lost him four years ago," she admitted. "Since then, we've been closer than we ever were in my whole life. In a way, __Selmak __gave me the father I never thought I'd know."_

_She meant what she said and felt in control of her emotions – until she offered him __a small smile and felt the general's gaze on her._

_"C'mere."_

_As soon as he put his arm around her shoulder, rules and regulations were thrown out the proverbial window and Sam instinctively reached up to take his hand and snuggled against his shoulder. As she ran her thumb over his strong, calloused hand, they both watched her dad – and it was at that __moment when Jacob's lips twitched slightly and he tore his own gaze away from them, and spoke to the __Tok'ra__ at his side.  
__  
"Thank you, sir."_

_"For what?" His words had been so quiet, so comforting._

_"For being here for me."_

_"Always."_

_Pulling back slightly, Sam had looked into his eyes and for the first time in a long time, she felt like she could see right through to his soul as his emotions played out across his face. With the smallest of smiles, she accepted his quiet promise and rested her head back against his hand, her gaze returning to her father. Moments later she watched as her dad whispered the words, 'I'm ready'. She left Jack's embrace and hurried to the Isolation Room, coming to a stop at her dad's bedside. She__quietly took his hand and placed a final kiss on his forehead. As he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze bore into Sam's._

_"I love you."_

_In the end, Sam wasn't sure how long she had been sitting by her father's side, absently staring at the infirmary bed. She had allowed a few stray tears to fall, but fought hard to keep the rest at bay. She wanted to grieve by herself and in her own time, away from the stares and sympathetic looks. She finally felt a hand on her shoulder, but didn't need to turn around to know who it was._

_"You should go home Carter," he said gently._

_She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "I can't – I just – he's –"_

_"He's in good hands, I promise. You need to rest."_

_"I can't leave him here."_

_Jack sighed softly._

_"C'mere," he whispered as he pulled her to her feet and into his arms. She returned the hug, and the comfort she had felt in his arms in earlier, returned. She felt the general bury his face against her neck and she instantly thought back to the last time he had held her that way. It had been just after Janet's death, and the reminder was too much for Sam. As the general kept her close, she succumbed to the__ t__ears which__had threatened to fall all day._

* * *

Pulling herself from those memories as well, Sam glanced around and was glad to see the corridor empty. The sound of the elevator approaching drew her attention and she waited for its arrival. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. Despite her brother's disdain for the military, Sam was still at work and needed to remain the soldier for a while longer.

As the elevator doors opened, she caught sight of him and could instantly tell that he had been crying. She felt tears start to prick her own eyes as he slowly exited the lift and came to a stop before her.

Offering a small, tired smile, she spoke quietly.

"Hi Mark."  
**  
****TBC…**

* * *

**The plan is to update this once a week, probably on a Sunday. Hope you enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

Sam found herself immediately enveloped in her brother's arms and allowed a few tears to fall, but when she felt Mark inhale shakily, she tightened her hold on him. They stood clinging to each other for what felt like an eternity, before Sam gave him one final squeeze and stepped back. She took one of his hands in hers and met his gaze.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Me too."

He squeezed her hand gently and just as Sam was about to speak again, movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Glancing over her brother's shoulder, she saw his wife, Liz, and their three children – Ben, Beth and Jo – standing behind him, looking unsure as to what they should do. Sam smiled softly at them and crouched down.

"C'mere, you guys," she said and was almost knocked off her feet as the kids all ran to her and she found three pairs of arms grab – and cling on tightly – to various parts of her body.

"I'm sorry, aunt Sam," Ben said.

"Me too," Jo added. "I'm going to miss Grandpa Jacob."

Ruffling their hair, Sam got back to her feet as Liz walked over and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm sorry Sam. If there's anything I can do, let me know."

"I will Liz, I promise. Thanks."

She continued to talk to her sister-in-law but could feel her brother's gaze on her, studying her and she hoped he couldn't see how she really felt about the situation. She might be a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, but right now, she felt like she was 13-years-old again and had just buried her mother.

She knew Mark had, at one stage, thought about joining the Air Force, but in the aftermath of their mom's death, he slowly started to hate the military and everything it stood for. He then resented their father as he threw himself even further into his work and left his two children to fend for themselves. Mark's resentment then shifted to Sam as she was able to forgive their dad – only to go one step further and followed in his footsteps by enrolling in the Academy. It was then, that Mark cut ties with them both.

Sam heard a sigh escape her brother and when she looked over, he offered her a half-smile.

"So, um," she said. "How was your flight?"

"It was good."

"Good."

As the awkward silence grew, Sam twisted her hands together. "I'm, ah, I'm sorry I couldn't meet you at the airport."

"Yeah, well, I'd hate to have dragged you away from your precious work," Mark responded shortly.

"Actually Mark, yes. Work _did_ keep me here. I was working on dad's funeral arrangements,"

Sam winced at her own sharp retort and she heard her brother sigh again, but she couldn't quite find it in herself to blame him for his own attitude. For now, Mark thought their father had died from a massive heart attack, but Sam knew her brother – and knew he didn't buy their story.

He opened his mouth to say something, when Sam caught Liz elbowing him in the ribs.

"I'm sorry," Sam sighed. "I didn't mean to–"

"Don't apologize Sam," Liz interrupted softly. "He – _we_ – knew you'd have a lot on your mind and would need to get started on the arrangements. Besides," she added with a smile, "that nice young Airman you sent to meet us made sure we were well looked after."

"Yeah, about that," Mark added in a tone which now seemed to tread on borderline whining. "I thought we were supposed to be heading to your place, not... here. Wherever _h__ere_ is again."

"Cheyenne Mountain," Sam offered.

"So, you look at the stars from – what? One thousand meters… below a mountain?"

He didn't even try to hide his disbelief and Sam refused to take the bait. "Yeah," she shrugged.

_"Right." _

"Actually, there is a reason you're here. We need to talk."

If only for the seriousness of the situation, she would have laughed at how Mark's eyes widened at her words, because it was the last thing he would have expected her to say. She waited as he turned to Liz, who just stared back at him with a look that clearly said _'I don't know, so don't look at me!'_ and when Mark glanced back at Sam, she motioned for them to follow her.

Mark, however, was rooted to the spot and it was only when Sam disappeared around the corner and started to make her way along one of the many corridors on Level 27, that he shook his head and broke into a light jog to catch up with the rest of his family.

"What do you mean?" he asked incredulously.

"Hmm?"

"What do you mean we need to talk?"

When Sam didn't answer, he reached out and placed a hand on her arm. She stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Sam? What is this place? What do you do here?"

"Mark –"

"I thought your work was classified."

It was more of a statement, than a question, but she nodded regardless.

"It is."

"Then why am I here?"

"As I said, we need to talk."

As she started back down the corridor, Mark had no choice but to follow.

"Does your work actually have anything to do with space?"

"Yes."

"Deep Space?"

_"Oh, yeah."_

After a moments' pause, he asked, "How 'deep', is deep?"

He frowned as Sam turned to look at him, a strange smile on her face.

"You have _no_ idea."

Without another word, Sam gestured to the room behind her. "After you."

**TBC…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: I probably should have said this at the beginning, but for this fic Daniel is alive and at the SGC, rather than hanging around a diner. A few other minor details have been changed here and there.**

* * *

Jack sighed in frustration as he scrawled his signature across another piece of paper. Even though he had been in charge of the SGC for a year now, he still felt like he hadn't grown into the role. His superiors might have thought otherwise, but Jack knew. He wasn't cut out for flying a desk.

Despite his knees giving him bother, he missed being in the field. Partly, because he was no longer able to watch his team's back – or any other team now under his command. Instead, he had to stand and watch helpless every time the men and women of the base stepped through the gate, and he was left to wonder if they would come back to their families.

Flipping the folder shut, Jack threw it into his outbox and automatically reached for the next one in the pile. He noticed the new folder was significantly thicker than the previous one and inwardly groaned. He _really_ wasn't cut out for flying a desk.

He ran a hand over his face, leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. It had been a long week – full of the unknown, full of battles and full of loss. It also meant it was full of paperwork, hence why he hadn't been able to move from his desk for the past two hours.

The entire galaxy had almost been destroyed; first by the Replicators and then by Anubis _again_, and instead of celebrating, all the Joint Chiefs in the Pentagon wanted was paperwork covering every tiny detail about their latest tale of survival. To be honest, events had been gaining momentum over the last few weeks, but it really kicked off four days ago, on Thursday morning.

* * *

_Jacob had stepped through the gate bringing news that Anubis was preparing to retake __Dakara __from the Free Jaffa. Whilst it was agreed by most at the briefing that the weapon should be destroyed, the Jaffa High Council weren't as keen, so Teal'c __and __Bra'tac__ had__ returned to the planet to try to convince them otherwise. Shortly after their departure, Sam had also left – something to do with choosing her wedding flowers. Jacob had left with her as he was due to finally met Pete later that evening._

_Jack had never seen Sam look as nervous as she had leaving the base, while Jacob looked like he usually did, only sterner._

_ He knew __Pete was going to be eaten alive by the old man and he allowed himself a small grin at the man's misfortune when the two Carter's returned to base the following morning and he waited with arms wide open and a jovial tone to greet them at the elevator._

_"Carter! Dad!"_

_His grin soon faded __however and he dropped his arms awkwardly by his sides._

_"Sir."_

_"Jack."_

_He grimaced. You could cut the tension between the two of them with a knife._

_"Everything alright?"_

_"Fine, sir," Carter answered quickly._

_Narrowing __his eyes, Jack turned to Jacob who stared back at him pointedly, and risking a glance between the two, Jack realized he had nothing useful to say._

_"Shall we?" he offered with a tight smile, as he gestured them towards the Briefing Room._

_It turned out the Jaffa High Council refused to change their views on the weapon, so the briefing was a waste of time. Carter disappeared shortly after it had finished, muttering __something about studying the Ancient technology on __Dakara __and it was then, left alone with Jacob, that Jack realized __he'd been right; the meeting with Pete had not gone well – at all._

_Apparently, it started going downhill when Pete referred __to Jacob as 'Dad'._

* * *

Jack swallowed hard against the sudden rush of emotions and tried to re-focus his thoughts – only for them to land on Pete. He didn't like the guy. He'd only met him once, but it was enough. He couldn't understand what Sam saw in him, but who was he to say anything to her? After all, he _was_ the one who told her to leave the base once in a while and _get a life_. And, never one to disobey an order, that's exactly what his former second-in-command did. She got herself a life. A life without _him_. Jack sighed again. Him and his stupid advice.

It wasn't that didn't want Sam to be happy. He wanted that more than anything, and it seemed like Pete that finally brought her that happiness. _Humworthy_ happiness. He couldn't even put his dislike of the cop down to jealousy or hurt. Sure, those feelings were there no matter how hard he tried to pretend they weren't, but it went deeper than that. He didn't trust Pete. Because Pete didn't trust Sam. And Sam was too good for him.

Jack opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out a thin, manila folder. It had the SGC's official stamp and logo on the front, but it was the large, red lettering stamped across the front of the folder he focused on.

_CONFIDENTIAL. MATTERS RELATED TO NATIONAL SECURITY._

He drummed his fingers on the back of the folder as he remembered the first time he set eyes on its contents.

* * *

_It had been just after the whole 'Osiris had returned to Earth and was using a recall device on Daniel to manipulate his dreams to find the Lost City' fiasco. It was also around the time that Carter started dating Shanahan. The post-mission briefing on that one was a nightmare, and they were all glad when it finally came to an end. __Daniel had hightailed it out of there as soon as Hammond had said 'dismissed', while __Teal'c__ had __also silently left the room. Jack had decided to hang back and he watched Carter as she slowly gathered her notes together. Something was clearly on her mind. It was understandable; her boyfriend had followed her to a stakeout, __jeopardizing __not only the mission, __but __her life and the rest of the team as well. On top of that, the cop had managed to get himself shot in the process. __He was just about to tell her to stop beating herself up over Pete's __behavior when Hammond's voice cut through the silence._

_"Colonel. Can I see you in my office for a minute?"_

_He __nodded, and with one final glance at Carter – who was deliberately avoiding his gaze – he followed._

_"Close the door, Jack."_

_He did as he was told and sat down as Hammond handed him a folder._

_"What's this, sir?"_

_"Have a read, son."_

_Opening the folder, Jack's eyes scanned the various notes and pictures in front of him. __Realizing __it was information gathered as part of a background check, his eyes widened and he looked up to meet Hammond's steely gaze._

_"Who's behind this, General?"_

_"Detective Pete Shanahan."_

_Jack's head snapped up and he felt his anger rise._

_"It appears Major Carter's word wasn't good enough for the detective," Hammond continued, interrupting his thoughts. __"He placed a call with someone within the FBI. __An Agent __Ferretty. __He pulled up the file. Having the top security clearance that Major Carter does, as soon as her name was put through the system it flagged up. The man probably doesn't __realize __we even know."_

_"Does Carter know?"_

_"Not that I'm aware of. I believe she would have said if she did. The detective's own background is in there __as well Jack. It's worth a read." After a beat, he added, "I'll leave it up to you as to whether you let her know or not."_

_Jack nodded his agreement. "If that's all, sir..."_

_"That's all, son."_

_Standing up, Jack handed the folder back. "Thank you, sir."_

_When he left Hammond's office, he found himself walking the corridors of the SGC before he ended in the base gym, beating the crap out of one of the punch bags._

* * *

Jack groaned. He should have told Carter there and then about Pete's deception, but he hadn't. Sam seemed to buy the guy's apology for following her, claiming it was just concern, so Jack had decided to let it go. He knew he should be the one to tell her, and he hoped he wouldn't have to be; but as her relationship with Pete became more serious, the more Jack itched to confess. Then, when Sam had announced her engagement, Jack had offered his congratulations, then chose to shut down and wallow in his self-pity by pushing her away.

And then Kerry came along. She was a distraction; a pleasant distraction, which was exactly what he'd needed but when Sam turned up at his house on Saturday afternoon and interrupted their date, he knew he was only trying to fool himself. He grimaced as he thought back to that meeting. He knew what Carter was going to say, and that she was embarrassed by how the afternoon had ended.

Not surprisingly, minutes after Carter had left his house, had he made his excuses to Kerry and followed her to the base. Perhaps even more unsurprising, however, was his conversation with Kerry later that evening.

_Is the Air Force the only thing keeping you two apart? __Rules and regulations?__ Because__ if it is, you're making a very big mistake._

_And you know what I should do?_

_Retire._

_Again?_

_The President has appointed a civilian to run the SGC before. Just a thought._

A knock on his office door jolted him back to reality. He quickly closed the folder and threw it back into the drawer.

"Come in," he called.

"Hey Jack."

"Daniel."

"Is everything okay?"

"Just peachy," he sighed.

**TBC...**

* * *

**Things start to pick up in the next chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I am so, so sorry for the delay in updates!**

* * *

Jack followed Daniel's movements, resisting the urge to sigh when the archeologist sat down on one of the chairs opposite his desk.

He tilted his head to the side and studied his friend. A smile tugged at his lips; Daniel looked surprisingly good for someone who had died – again – and ascended – again – only to descend – _again._ After Daniel appeared back at the SGC on Friday night, the team discovered he had a played a part in the demise of their enemies.

"How're you feeling?"

"Good, surprisingly," Daniel nodded. "Given the circumstances."

"Hmm."

"How's Sam?"

Jack's brows raised in surprise and he hesitated before he answered. "She says she's fine."

"Hmm."

An understanding silence settled between them, but then Daniel's expression changed and Jack knew what was coming next.

"So, how's Sam? Really?"

Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed before he looked at his friend – and he was a little surprised to find Daniel's eyes slightly swollen and red, and he was hit with a pang of guilt. He was obviously feeling Jacob's loss as much as the rest of the team and Jack had yet to ask him how he was holding up. He knew Sam was like a sister to Daniel, having often heard the two swap stories about their respective families late at night on a few of their quieter missions.

"She'll be fine – in time," Jack eventually offered.

Nodding, Daniel opened his mouth to say something else, just as the phone rang.

"O'Neill. OK. Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. Thanks, Walter."

Setting the receiver back down, Daniel stared at the wry grin Jack was now sporting.

"They're here."

"Oh. That was quick."

"Yeah, the President didn't want to hang around too long."

"How'd you get Hayes to agree to this?"

"I didn't."

"Oh. Oh. Uh… then how –"

Jack sighed. "Do you have a list?"

"A list?" Daniel repeated and Jack ignored the concerned look his friend was now giving him.

"Yeah, a list," he said, picking up a pen and waving it around in the air. "For like – stuff you want."

"No? No, I don't think so. Why?"

"I do."

"OK… Jack where is this going?"

"The first time we saved the world from Apophis, I started a list with stuff I'd want from the Joint Chiefs or the President as a thank you for saving their collective asses."

"What? An I.O.U. for the President?"

He shrugged. "Yeah."

Daniel's frown deepened. Pushing his glasses up his nose, he bit the inside of his cheek as he braced himself for his friend's answer.

"What kind of stuff?"

"If I told ya, I'd have to shoot ya," Jack smirked.

Daniel's gaze narrowed.

"You've something to do with The Simpsons on there, don't you?'"

"No! Well, not exactly."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

As Jack shifted uncomfortably in his seat, Daniel rolled his eyes.

"TheremayhavebeensomethingaboutMacGyverontheretoo."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Oy," he mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair. "I said, MacGyver. You know, '_His name is MacGyver. He can fix anything. He could fix a computer with a hairpin and a piece of duct tape!_'"

At Daniel's incredulous look, Jack cleared his throat.

"Never mind. Anyway, I have this list and every time we save the world, I add to it."

He let the pen he was holding fall back to the desk as he thought back to the conversation he'd had with Doctor Weir before he'd left for Atlantis.

"Colonel, come in. How are you feeling?"

"Not bad. Haven't had the urge to go anywhere or build anything lately."

"The President asked me to extend an invitation to you. Dinner at the White House."

"Do you know what they're having?"

"I don't think I've had the chance to personally thank you yet."

"For what?"

"You risk your life over and over, and ask for nothing in return."

"Well, don't be fooled. I'm making a list."

"So, you finally cashed in on one of your requests?"

"Not exactly." Meeting Daniel's gaze, he added, "Turns out I wasn't the only person with a list."

"Who else would have –"

"Jacob."

"Oh."

"The President agreed to it a lot easier than I thought he would. Actually, I didn't think he'd agree to it at all. Who knew him and Jake went way back, eh?"

"And Sam's okay with it?"

"She hasn't said much either way, but you know her brother's feelings towards the Air Force."

"Do you think he'll be able to handle it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it _is_ a lot to take in the first time," Daniel said.

"He's a Carter," Jack shrugged. "He'll handle it."

With a nod, Daniel got to his feet.

"I'm going to check on Teal'c," he said, pointing over his shoulder to the Briefing Room. "Make sure there's still some doughnuts left."

"Save me a chocolate one!" Jack shouted to the doctor's retreating back.

He checked his watch. 0845. Carter would be arriving with her brother any minute now. He'd never met Mark, but he imagined he looked like Carter in some way, whether it was the hair, or blue eyes or tall frame. A part of him also thought the kids would look like their dad.

Jack smirked. A base full of Carters. If they were anything like Sam, God help them all.

Hearing voices coming from outside his office, Jack looked up to see two confused-looking adults, three bemused-looking children and an extremely nervous-looking Carter enter the Briefing Room.

_Time to get this show on the road,_ he thought.

Taking their arrival as his cue to leave his office, Jack quickly signed the form in front of him and hoped it wouldn't matter that he hadn't actually read the entire report, before he flipped the folder closed and threw it in his outbox. Pushing his chair back, he took a deep breath. He saw Daniel point at his office, just as he reached the door.

"Brace yourself," he mumbled under his breath. "This could be fun."

**TBC…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Did I mention this fic was a slow burn...**

* * *

As Sam made her way into the Briefing Room she caught a glimpse of Daniel and Teal'c talking at the far side of the table. To outsiders, such as her family, it would have appeared that the men were discussing something incredibly important, but she noticed the slight half-step Daniel took just a moment before Teal'c proceeded to eat half a chocolate donut.

Despite her nerves, she smiled at her teammates' behavior and wondered if Daniel would ever learn to just leave Teal'c alone when it came to food. Without warning, the two of them suddenly turned towards her and she realized her family were also now staring at her.

"Um," she started, "Where's the General?"

"He's in his office," Daniel answered knowingly. "He said it's paperwork, but I'm sure I saw his yo-yo lying around."

"For the record, I _was_ actually doing some paperwork Daniel. Very important paperwork I'll have you know," Jack interrupted as he entered the room, "which involved chocolate cake being made a daily addition to the lunch menu."

He grinned suddenly, his last words directed towards the three kids that stood huddled together. Movement out of the corner of Sam's eye caught her attention and she saw her brother shift closer and she knew the moment Mark realized the man who had just joined them was Jack O'Neill.

Both she and their dad had mentioned the General over the years, but Sam didn't think Mark had paid much attention at the time. She could also spot the questioning look in his eye and she was about to shake her head in warning when the General spoke again.

"At ease, Carter," he gently ordered and she frowned, only to discover she was standing to attention. When she relaxed, he threw her a small, encouraging smile before he made his way towards her family. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Yes sir," she smiled. "Mark, Liz, kids. This is General O'Neill, my commanding officer here at the base. And this is Doctor Daniel Jackson, and T – _Teal'c_," she amended, pointing to each man in turn, "my team mates."

"General, guys. This is my brother Mark, his wife Liz, and their children Ben, Beth and Jo."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Daniel said, living up to his role as the team's mediator. "I just wish it was under better circumstances. Jacob was a good man, I'm sorry for your loss."

"I also wish to add my condolences," Teal'c added. "Jacob Carter was indeed a great man, warrior and friend. He shall be greatly missed by all who knew him, but he shall not be forgotten."

Silence followed their words and Mark was taken aback as both men seemed genuinely upset at his father's passing. He was also surprised to hear his dad referred to as a 'warrior', but as he slid his gaze towards his wife, he realized he wasn't the only one. Nodding his thanks, he turned his attention to General O'Neill who rocked back on his heels. He frowned in confusion at the man's behavior and looked at his wife again, only to find her now staring at the man, her mouth slightly agape. Mark softly cleared his throat which caught Liz's attention and when she realized she'd been caught admiring the General, she mouthed an apology. He quickly shifted his gaze to his children as the three of them also stood open-mouthed – only their attention was on Teal'c.

_Teal'c._

He briefly wondered what kind of a name Teal'c was and made a mental note to ask his sister about it later. He did briefly entertain the thought of asking the man himself, but then imagined _Teal'c_ would have no problem kicking his ass if he accidentally offended him.

The family's youngest daughter, Jo, was the first to recover from the staring contest and she walked slowly towards General O'Neill.

"Hi Sir," she greeted with a small smile.

She was usually shy around people she didn't know, so Mark was curious to see how the situation unfolded but he also remembered what they had been told earlier about keeping the kids under control. He stepped forward and was about to reprimand her when he felt Sam's hand on his arm. She shook her head slightly, and Mark followed her gaze.

"Well, hello there," Jack answered with a slight grin. He crouched down so he was eye-level with Jo and seemingly chose to ignore the pops and cracks of his knees as he did.

"I'm Jo," she replied, holding out her hand for Jack to shake.

Smirking up at Carter, Jack took the small outstretched hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jo. You can call me Jack."

As Jo's blue eyes widened with the smile now beaming across her face, Jack couldn't help but be taken with the little girl and he gave her another smile.

"Are you a General like our grandpa?" Ben asked as he made his way to Jo's side.

"Yes, I am."

At that, Jack watched as three children stood tall to attention and saluted him. Caught off guard, his eyes widened and he straightened, his amusement evident.

"At ease, soldiers."

As the three kids relaxed, the rest of the adults exchanged bemused looks and Mark realized that the man standing before them definitely wasn't like other Generals.

As if the man could read his thoughts, Jack turned to him and Liz and gave them his undivided attention for the first time since he entered the room and Mark wasn't too proud to admit he was slightly scared of him. The softness Jack had when talking to Jo was gone and his military mask was now firmly back in place, but he didn't offer any words of condolence or emit any sympathy of any kind. He appeared hard, emotionless, but Mark tried not to dwell as he started to feel uncomfortable under his stare.

"I thought the kids would be better in our Rec Room while we have a little chat," he eventually said.

No messing around, just straight to the point. Maybe this man was like other Generals after all, Mark grumbled to himself.

He also really didn't want to let a stranger take his kids away to somewhere else on the base, especially if the facility was as classified and top secret as it seemed to be. He looked at Sam and she nodded.

"It's for the best Mark. You've nothing to worry about," she added. "They'll be in good hands. Trust me."

After a nudge from Liz he finally relented and nodded his agreement.

"Great!" Jack piped up, clapping his hands together.

"Daniel, T, you want to take our guests up to the Rec Room? I believe there's some food and an American classic we like to call The Simpsons waiting for them."

As three pairs of eyes lit up, they all obediently followed the two men. Ben fell into step alongside Daniel, while Beth took Jo's right hand as the little girl slipped her other hand into Teal'c's and let him lead her out of the room. The gentleness Teal'c had as he took Jo's hand left Mark dumbfounded.

"That is just too weird," he mumbled before he could stop himself.

"Nah, T is a teddy bear," Jack shrugged as he took a seat at the head of the table. "Just don't eat his donuts," he added as an afterthought.

Suddenly embarrassed that the General knew he had been referring to Teal'c, Mark felt himself blush. He then turned to his sister and frowned. Was she –

"What have I told you about giggling, Colonel Carter?"

"Sorry, sir."

Mark felt the beginnings of a headache start as he followed the interaction. He didn't know all the rules of the military, but he knew enough about insubordination to know that Sam was walking a fine line with her less-than-sorry response. However, Jack didn't appear mad. In fact, he seemed rather pleased with himself that he'd been able to keep her amused for a moment longer.

"Why don't you and your wife take a seat Mark and we'll tell you why you're here," he said seriously and gestured towards the empty chairs.

They took the seats Sam pointed to before she moved to the other side of the table and occupied the chair directly to the General's left.

"Before we begin, we need you to sign a few more forms," Jack said as he lifted a couple of folders Mark hadn't realized were on the table.

"We already signed enough forms on the surface," he answered, a hint of irritation in his voice.

_"Mark,"_ Sam warned through gritted teeth before she took a deep breath. "This is very important. Just trust me."

"You keep telling me to trust you Sam. Why?"

"Because in our job, you have to," she fired back.

_"Carter."_

She closed her eyes and Mark noticed how his sister's entire demeanor changed. She relaxed at the small, softly spoken word and his curiosity piqued. Deciding that was another thing to ask Sam later, Mark sighed.

"_Fine._ I trust you, Sam."

With that, he flipped open the folder and signed the relevant forms, as did Liz. Satisfied everything was in order, Jack took the folders from the couple and set them to the side.

"Carter. You're up."

"What I'm about to tell you is classified under section 11C9 of the National Security Act," she began, meeting her brother's stare. "You're currently in a top-secret military facility known as Stargate Command. In 1928 in Giza, Egypt, archaeologists uncovered an ancient device, capable of instantaneous transportation to other planets by means of a subspace wormhole."

Mark's jaw dropped while Liz's eyes widened as they exchanged glances.

"Instantaneous transportation?" he asked slowly.

"Subspace wormhole?" Liz repeated in confusion.

"Oh, it gets better," Jack smirked as he leaned back in his chair and gestured for Sam to continue.

**TBC…**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Thank you to those of you who've given me a gentle nudge to update this fic!**

**Also, Mark's a bit of a jerk in this chapter.**

* * *

_"__Holy Hannah!"_

Leaning back in his chair, Mark tried to understand – let alone accept – what he'd just been told. Here was his sister, someone who – he thought – had dedicated her entire adult life to the Air Force, protecting her country, and yet it turned out she wasn't even fighting a war on Earth.

In recent years, Sam had started to let him know if she was going away on a mission for a while, so he wouldn't worry if he couldn't get a hold of her, but he'd just assumed those classified missions were here, on their own planet. He watched her from across the table as she exchanged a glance with General O'Neill and suddenly Mark was filled with pride for his sister and her achievements.

Despite not always been close, he had worried about Sam's career choice. He knew the risk that came with a career in the forces. Not only that, but his sister was trying to make it in a man's world. However, she had succeeded and was now a Lieutenant Colonel.

He was incredibly proud of her, and he was ashamed when he realized he had never told her so; but it was a lot of information to take in, especially coming so close after the death of their father and Mark could feel his frustration return. The whole briefing sounded far-fetched and he just didn't have the patience to listen to Sam sit there and calmly tell him about aliens and space travel. He started to doubt their story and felt like he now had even more questions than before. He glanced at his sister and wondered if she had lost her mind.

Resting his elbows on the table, he closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face. Maybe if he didn't look at Sam, he'd calm down. He snorted at the ridiculousness of the situation and leaned back in his chair.

"Aliens, you say," he muttered.

"Yes."

"This is a joke. Right, sis?"

He looked squarely at Sam while she shared a look with General O'Neill before her attention fell to her hands which were intertwined on her lap. She bit the inside of her cheek and Mark knew she was deciding how best to word her answer.

But, suddenly, he didn't need an answer. He knew she was telling him the truth and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Well, shit."

It was all his brain could muster as he finally let it all sink in and he turned to look at his wife. She'd been far too quiet throughout the meeting. She didn't even say a word when Daniel and Teal'c – whose name made much more sense now – joined them around forty-five minutes ago, and now she sat by his side, eyes wide and a smile playing around her lips.

"Neat, huh?"

Mark turned to the source of the question and found General O'Neill grinning, but before he could answer with a smartass comment, Liz seemed to find her voice.

"Sam – I – you – all of you are… the things you've experienced these past eight years – and no-one knows? How do you keep it a secret? How do you come here every day," she asked in amazement, "when you know that none of us will ever really know what's happening and you don't receive any thanks? It's – I –"

She stopped abruptly and met Mark's gaze, before she looked back to General O'Neill.

"The reason you're telling us… _this,_" she said. "I'm guessing it wasn't your idea."

Nodding once, Jack gave her a small smile. "It was Jacob's request."

Mark glared at Liz and how understanding she seemed to be of the situation. He spoke before he could stop himself.

"Don't tell me you actually believe this."

"Well," she shrugged, and he knew she was choosing to ignore his anger, "it is a little unbelievable, but –"

"A little?"

"OK, a lot," she sighed, "but it doesn't mean it's not."

"I don't care. It's fu–"

_"Mark,"_ she scolded quietly as she talked over him. "Look, this is a matter of national security. _National security._ Don't you think that's reason enough to take this seriously?"

"I am taking this seriously –"

"You're not being very cooperative."

He noted the way Liz's voice lowered as Sam and her teammates exchanged glances, so he knew better than to continue arguing.

"Dad specifically requested that you were read into the Program. We had to pull a lot of strings to make it happen, Mark," Sam added.

He leaned forward and stared. "Who's to say it was really dad's request if he had some kind of alien inside him?"

Sam grimaced at his crude description. "It's called a symbiote."

"Whatever," he dismissed. "Look, Liz," he said, gesturing vaguely around him. "Is this not freaking you out?"

"I'm not saying it doesn't freak me out, but… it does make sense when you think about it."

"What makes sense?"

"That we aren't alone in the universe."

"Alone in the uni– alright," he sighed, "I've definitely heard it all now," he muttered.

"Listen to me, Mark," Liz hissed. "You've watched all those alien movies and the chaos that ensues but this… this isn't a movie. It's _real_," she stressed, pointing towards the Stargate behind them. "Instead of sitting there and being angry, you could try being a little more accepting."

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but tried to reign in his temper.

"He was our _father,_ Sam."

"I know."

There was no mistaking the controlled, neutral tone of Sam's and Mark saw the general glance between the two as a tense silence fell around the table. "What's your point, Mark?"

"Are you honestly telling me you were happy knowing he was an alien?"

"He wasn't an alien. He was still human, but he shared his body with a symbiote. There's a difference. He still had control over his own thoughts, movements and emotions."

"How do you know that?"

She started to answer, but a quiet "Carter" from General O'Neill had her stop. "I just know," she said instead, but refused to meet his eye. "At any stage over the past five years, did dad look or sound like an alien to you?"

Aside from the more mellow side of his dad's personality, there was nothing to suggest it was a different person.

"No."

"And if I hadn't mentioned any of this, would you see him differently?"

"No," he sighed.

"He was always our father."

"But, Sam," he argued, "I'd even forgiven him for mom's death, only to be told that it wasn't even him. He was half-alien."

"He was _not_ an alien," Sam repeated slowly. "But even with his symbiote, you never suspected a thing. Dad would have died five years ago if it hadn't been for us and for Selmak."

"He was in my house," he argued, even though he knew he wasn't getting anywhere. "He played with the kids. He gave them hugs and kisses."

"It's not like they were going to morph into another life form, or pick up a strange virus from coming into contact with him, Mark. They were still _his_ grandchildren. He loved them and would never put them in any danger. You're just being ridiculous now."

"That's easy for you to say, you don't have any kids."

He heard Sam's sharp intake of breath and he suddenly wanted nothing more than to take his words back. He didn't mean them; didn't know what possessed him to say it, but he knew it was too late.

"Sam –"

"Daniel, Teal'c," the General interrupted him, his voice low. "Go and bring the kids down from the rec room. They've been there long enough as it is and then you can all grab some lunch before Carter and Mark finalize the rest of the funeral arrangements. Dismissed."

Even Mark, with his disdain for the Air Force, knew an order when he heard one and he watched as Daniel and Teal'c followed the order, while Sam stood to attention but her gaze never wavered from his.

_"Carter."_

Mark tore his gaze from his sister to find the general staring at her, his eyes dark and expression unreadable, but his voice was gentle when he addressed her. "My office, now."

"Yes, sir."

He watched them go and it was only when the door to the general's office clicked shut, did he slam his fist down onto the table.

"Mark –"

He closed his eyes in frustration at his wife's words. "I know," he sighed. "I know."

**TBC...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updating this fic.**

* * *

Sam closed the door to the General's office but refused to turn around and face him. She could feel his gaze burning into her but she wasn't sure what she would see when she met his stare; would he be angry at Mark, or disappointed in her, or annoyed with the situation as a whole and –

"You know," he said quietly, breaking through her thoughts, "I'd quite like to see your face if we're going to have this conversation."

Straightening, she turned to face him, but didn't move away from her spot at the door.

"I'm sorry, sir," she sighed. "Mark –"

_"Carter," _he interrupted. "Are you okay?"_  
_  
"Sir?"

"Don't play dumb, it's not becoming on you. Besides," he sighed as he sat down behind his desk, "that's my job anyway."

He gestured for her to take a seat and she slowly followed the order. She knew Mark wouldn't understand her job – nor particularly want to try to – and she couldn't exactly blame him. Even though she stepped through the gate on a weekly basis, she didn't always believe it herself, so the fact that her father was so insistent that her brother be let into their secret was something she could not fathom. She knew Mark and her dad had made great strides in their relationship over the past couple of years and tried to make up for lost time, but even she knew that it would take more than a miracle for Mark to understand what they did at Cheyenne Mountain.

Maybe her dad wanted him to know exactly what he had been doing – the job and the circumstances that had saved his life from cancer; or maybe it was to try and make one final amend for their mother's death. Maybe it was just her dad's way of trying to show Mark the good work the Air Force can do, rather than the painful memories he associated with the service. Sam shook her head; whatever his reasons were, she couldn't figure it out and it was driving her crazy. A voice in the back of her mind was also telling her it was about to get a whole lot worse too.

"I don't know what dad was thinking," she finally said.

"What do you mean?"

"Did he honestly expect Mark to just sit back and accept our story? I mean, his dislike of the military isn't exactly a secret, sir," she continued. "Even though they were getting on really well by the end, the Air Force was still something they clashed over and it always ended in a row. I don't know _why_ he wants my brother to know. Did dad say anything to you?"

Her eyes searched his for answers and there was just a second when she caught the flicker of a change in his gaze before it disappeared. He didn't say anything though, but she waited while he studied her closely. She knew she looked a sight; her eyes were still puffy, but the redness was gone, and there was nothing she could do about the dark shadows under her eyes for the time-being.

His gaze shifted to a point just over her shoulder and his gaze hardened. Sam turned to see what he was looking at and she noticed Mark and Liz appeared to be arguing.

"Carter," he started, then sighed. "He _might_ have said some things."

"He did?"

She heard him mutter, 'ah, crap' under his breath before he shifted slightly in his chair.

"Look, he said he wanted Mark to know how important the Air Force was to him – and to you – and everyone else on this planet. He knew he wouldn't accept it, but he wanted him to try and understand... and he will, Sam. Just give him time. It _is_ a lot to take in, you know."

"I know, sir, but –"

"No 'buts'. It's done now; we've told him all we were supposed to share. The only thing left is for him to actually see the gate in action. Maybe then, he'll start to realize we are telling him the truth."

Sam sighed. "Maybe you're right, sir."

"Yes, well," he smirked. "It's been known to happen from time to time."

She couldn't help but return the smile as they fell into a more comfortable silence. Sam was just about to talk when she noticed the general's attention drift over her shoulder once more and she looked through the window just in time to see Jo throw herself into her mother's arms.

"Come on," Jack said, getting to his feet. "They'll be waiting."

"Actually, sir," Sam said, lowering her gaze and swallowing hard against the sudden lump in her throat. "I'd like to put in a request to leave the base for an hour."

He eased himself back into his chair and his voice was gentle when he spoke. "Carter?"

"There's... something I need to take care of."

She tried not to fidget under his gaze, but she couldn't help tug on the cuff of her BDU jacket.

"Sam, look at me."

Closing her eyes briefly, she slowly raised her head and followed his request.

"What's up?"

"Nothing, sir."

When he gave her a disbelieving stare, she faltered.

"It's nothing – honestly. It's just something I need to..." she sighed. "Personal matters."

She held his gaze; her expression pleading with him to understand.

It took a couple of seconds but then his expression cleared and she knew he understood.

"Alright, take as long as you need, but –"

"An hour is fine," she cut in, letting go of a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

She watched as Jack got to his feet again and walked around his desk, reaching his office door in a couple of strides. As he opened the door, he put his hand on the small of her back and gestured for her to go first.

"After you."

* * *

As soon as Mark and Liz were left alone, she turned to her husband. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"_Me?_ What about you?" Mark fired back. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that you so readily accept this bull–"

"Watch your language."

"– this _baloney _they're feeding us."

"Look," Liz sighed, "your father obviously wanted you to know about this for a reason. Why? I don't know, but it's not Sam's fault, nor is it her team's or General O'Neill's if you can't accept what they are telling you. Cut them some slack and don't be so rude. If anything, I'd say they _didn't_ want to tell you, but had no choice in the matter. Their job sounds hard enough without your criticism. They've saved the world Mark!"

Taking a deep breath, Liz calmed down and lowered her voice.

"Also, did you even look at Sam? She hasn't even started to mourn your father yet but when she does, she's going to need all the support she can get – and not just from Daniel or Te- Teal'c? Or General O'Neill. You're her brother Mark, start acting like it."

"I don't –"

The rest of his answer was interrupted as Daniel and Teal'c reappeared at the far side of the room with their children.

_"Mommy!"_ Jo squealed as she ran towards her, but she still held firmly onto Daniel's hand, so she dragged him along with her for a moment before she released his hand and jumped into her mother's arms. She then proceeded to give Liz a detailed account of what they'd been doing.

Giving her a gentle 'shush', Liz turned to face Daniel and couldn't help but match the grin on the archeologist's face.

"I'm sorry, she's just started the chatterbox stage," she explained.

Daniel's smile grew. "She's fine; quite the talker, I'll admit, but Jack says the same about Sam once she gets started, so it must run in the family."

Liz chuckled. "Just wait until thee three of them get together after having some sugar," she replied with a nod towards Ben and Beth who were talking to Mark.

She watched Daniel follow her gaze and moments later he laughed as he listened to the older kids regale their dad with their antics.

As the children continued to talk animatedly, Liz noticed Daniel's gaze drift over to Jack's office and his expression turned to one of concern. Assuming his worry was to do with Mark's reaction earlier, and the subsequent consequences for Sam, she moved closer and kept her voice low.

"She's not going to be in any trouble, is she?"

"Hmm?" Daniel asked, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"Sam. She'll not get into trouble over what happened, will she?"

"No, but Sam's been through a lot lately. Jacob's death is the latest…" He shook his head and offered Liz what she took to be a placating smile. "Jack's just looking out for her. We all are."

"The four of you seem really close."

"Yeah, we are," he answered distantly, his attention back to Jack's office as the door clicked open.

Liz was intrigued when she saw Sam walk out of the General's office looking considerably calmer than she had going in, but before she could think too much about it, Jo started to squirm in her arms. She set her down, and the little girl's feet had barely touched the floor before she darted over to her aunt.

_"Auntie Sam!"_ she bellowed across the room, her voice betraying her small size.

Gathering her easily in her arms, Sam's smiled at her and Liz took the opportunity to study the couple who'd just joined them. If she hadn't been looking so closely, she would have missed the small, genuine smile gracing General O'Neill's face. She forced her gaze back to her daughter and resisted the urge to sigh.

"– and _then_ I drew you a picture of Grandpa Jacob. It's in the room but Daniel said it's safe and I can get it later. And then Ben and Tea– Tea–,"

"Teal'c," Sam supplied with a nod.

"– they watched Star Wars, but I don't like Star Wars as it's _boring," _Jo supplied dramatically. "Then I told Daniel what I want for Christmas, and then –"

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa!_"

The room quietened and everyone turned to look at Jack following his outburst.

"You are definitely a Carter," he chuckled.

A look of confusion flashed across the little girl's face and he leaned closer.

"You're just like your aunt," he smiled at her, before whispering loudly, "she likes to talk a lot too, although most of what she says confuses me. Don't tell her that," he finished with a wink.

"No, sir!" Jo whispered before she started to giggle.

"Yeah," Jack mumbled, his gaze warm as it strayed to Sam, "_d__efinitely_ a Carter."

He held Sam's gaze for a moment longer, then cleared his throat and straightened. "Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm hungry and there's a large slice of chocolate cake around here with my name on it."

"Chocolate cake," Jo repeated as her eyes widened. "Can I have some too, mommy?"

"Uh, I don't – I don't know sweetie," she said, as she looked to Sam for help.

Before Sam could answer, however, the general smiled. "The kid's going to eat some proper lunch first, right?"

Liz laughed in agreement, which seemed good enough for Jack who clapped his hands together.

"In that case," he added, "Teal'c, lead the way."

**TBC...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes: Most of this chapter is a flashback chapter…**

* * *

As Jack led the visitors towards the mess hall, he couldn't help but think back to earlier in the week when he'd walked a similar route with Carter.

* * *

He'd watched from the observation area as Jacob passed away and took a few moments to grieve for both the man he called a close friend, and his former teammate who had lost someone else close to her. When he caught the slightest shake of Sam's shoulders, he made his way down to the Isolation Room and as the first of her tears fell, he reached out, gently pulled Sam into his arms and held her as she cried against his chest.

Jack wasn't sure how long they stayed that way, but when he felt the tremors stop and Sam's breathing start to even out, he tugged on her hand and waited until she met his gaze.

"C'mon," he murmured. "Let's get you home."

Even in the throes of grief, Sam remained the soldier and followed his order, moving on autopilot to slowly follow him out of the room. He felt her freeze at his side as they reached the door, but when he gently nudged her shoulder with his, she straightened and made the decision to not look back at her father. Instead, she stepped closer to Jack as they made their way through the corridors towards the elevator.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack noticed how Sam kept her gaze trained on the ground, so she missed the looks of sympathy that were thrown in her direction by passing officers. On a couple of occasions, he thought they would be stopped, but a warning glance from him had them continue on their route uninterrupted. It wasn't that he didn't want Sam to know the people she worked with cared about her, but he knew she was struggling with her own emotions.

The other – and definitely more selfish – part of Jack decided he wanted to be the only one to comfort Sam at that particular moment in time. He could have argued that it was his duty as the base CO to ensure she was okay but if he was to be completely honest, he couldn't say he'd go to the same lengths for everyone under his command.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and briefly questioned the idea of taking Carter home, but when he asked if it was okay, she'd remained silent. He studied her for a moment, then placed a hand on her elbow and gently edged her towards the elevator as the doors opened.

"Stay with me, Carter," he said quietly.

They eventually reached his truck and as Jack guided Sam around to the passenger door, he couldn't help but frown as he helped her. Putting her silence, and trance-like state down to shock, he wasted no time in starting the engine and making his way towards Sam's house.

It took less than ten minutes, but Jack knew the instant Sam had fallen asleep. With the roads quiet, he risked a few stolen glances at the woman to his right. She looked beautiful, but exhausted and he sighed as he recalled the events of the last few days. It had taken its toll on all of them – physically, emotionally, mentally, and for the first time in eight years, they had no idea as to where they stood within the galaxy and with their enemies and allies. He concentrated on the rest of the drive and finally stopped his truck outside Sam's. Again, he watched her for a few moments as he decided whether to wake her, or let her sleep and hopefully not disturb her if he carried her inside.

He rolled his eyes at the debate he was having with himself and shook his head. If it meant Sam would sleep for longer, he didn't care what it would do to his knees; he'd carry her into her house. He managed to make it around the truck and open the passenger door before Carter stirred, but she didn't fully awaken.

"Ssh," he murmured softly as he unclipped the seatbelt and put his arms around her, "it's alright, Carter. You're home."

"Sir?"

"Do you want to walk or –"

He left the rest of the sentence unfinished as he waited for Sam to figure out where they were and what was happening. After a few moments, she took his proffered hand and stepped out of the truck. As they made their way towards her front door, she leaned heavily against him.

"You okay?"

"I'm so tired," she admitted.

"We're almost there, I promise," he answered as they reached her front door. "I've got my key here," he added distractedly as he used his free hand to search his pockets. With a quiet 'gotcha', he managed to open the door and get them both inside before he gently directed Sam towards her bedroom.

He decided to stay at the threshold while Sam moved further into her room. When she finally lay down on the bed, Jack's frown deepened. He'd never known his second-in-command to act this way before, but then he quickly chided himself over the thought. The woman lying a few feet away from him had just lost her father – not to mention the other losses she had suffered over the past eighteen months – and he reckoned that the shock, as well as everything else she'd been dealing with was finally too much for her to handle. He leaned against the door frame and watched Sam for a while longer. When her breathing started to even out, he spotted a throw at the bottom of the bed, and stepping into the room, he pulled it around her.

Jack knew he should leave and let Carter rest but he couldn't bring himself to move. Instead, he crouched down at the side of the bed and carefully tucked a stray piece of hair behind Sam's ear. She stirred slightly at the contact, leaning into his hand, and her eyes fluttered open. They were laced with sadness and exhaustion and something Jack couldn't quite identify, but he spoke before Sam had the chance to formulate her thoughts.

"Get some sleep, Sam. I'll still be here," he reassured her, the same way he had back at the base.

As she closed her eyes and gave in to exhaustion once more, Jack stood up and wondered if he should stay in the room or stay in Carter's living room. After a silent argument with himself, he rocked on his heels and decided since he was probably already going to hell anyway, to stay. He spotted a small chair in the corner of the room and quietly made his way over towards it. He sat down and glanced at his watch. "Zero five thirty," he whispered with a sigh.

Running a hand over his face, Jack realized he was exhausted but he refused to close his eyes and rest. Instead, he let his attention drift to Sam. For someone who had just suffered a great loss, she looked strangely at peace as she continued to sleep. She was still too pale for Jack's liking, but to him, she still looked beautiful. A twinge of guilt hit him at the thought.

Sam may be beautiful, he reminded himself, but she was no longer his to have such thoughts about. She was now with Pete. With a wince, Jack glanced around the room once more as he started to think of possible scenarios that could unfold if Pete was to turn up at the house.

He also found Kerry's words repeating over in his mind and he swore softly. Jack had never been the kind of man to sit back and wait for things to happen; he always tended to be in the middle of the action and a 'shoot first, ask questions later' kind of guy. However, when it came to him and Sam, he'd never acted on his impulses – one time-loop aside. Part of the reason why he'd never taken that step with Carter was because the regulations said he couldn't, but also because if he was truly honest with himself, he was scared.

Yes, Brigadier General Jack O'Neill, USAF, was scared of a blonde-hair blue-eyed astrophysicist by the name of Samantha Carter.

It wasn't that Jack was scared of _her_ – although he'd be the first to confirm that she could seriously kick his ass if she wanted to – but, rather, he was scared of her potential feelings.

There was something between the two officers. Right from the moment they met all those years ago, there had been an obvious attraction but over the years it had, unwittingly, developed into something _more._

Over the years, the two of them had laughed and joked and flirted with one another. They had shared their grief and skirted around the regulations but never overstepped those rules. On one occasion they'd been forced to reveal their feelings, but that had been four years ago and Jack had worked hard to try and put a little distance between him and Sam, for her sake. In addition, as Pete had also since arrived on the scene, Jack was pretty sure Carter had moved on and no longer had any feelings for him.

He couldn't blame her for moving on, but as Jack sat by Sam's side, he hoped the attraction was there still. When he'd held her in his arms it was an intimate moment for them both and it had felt _right_.

Sam hadn't asked for Daniel or Teal'c or even Pete to comfort her. She had let _him_ be there, without hesitation, and allowed him to be the strength that she needed. So, Jack had decided to cling onto that glimmer of hope and for the first time in a long time he seriously contemplated Kerry's advice and would quite happily tell the Joint Chiefs what they could do with his resignation if they disagreed.

Earth was about to experience a peace it hadn't known for the best part of a decade, so the only thing that was stopping Jack from handing in his resignation, was the man who had won Carter's heart. Jack had already promised Carter that he would always be there for her – and he would – but her engagement, not to mention her fast-approaching wedding, was something he'd been struggling to accept.

He thought back to that fateful afternoon when Sam showed him the engagement ring. He'd known at the time that he had handled the situation badly, and every time he'd replayed the scene over in his mind since, he'd always wondered what would have happened if he'd taken a moment to forget that they were both on base, being watched by security cameras and risked being overheard by passing airmen. How differently would things have played out for the pair?

Instead of trying to fix the situation, however, Jack had chosen to push Sam even further away. He knew that now and his previous excuse of 'I wouldn't be here' gave his former second-in-command nothing. It gave her no closure; it gave her no reason to believe it was actually him telling her 'please, don't do this, you're making a mistake' or 'wait just a little longer for me, I promise'.

He'd realized too late that he had pushed Sam away as a coping mechanism, but whether it was because of pride or regret, Jack knew it was his own stupid fault and he only had himself to blame for his current situation. He had waited too long and lost Sam in the process.

But then there had been that rather strange afternoon at his home, just a couple of days ago. After recovering from his shock at seeing Sam at his house, Jack had known immediately what she'd come to say, only for Kerry to interrupt. He'd felt like he had betrayed Kerry, but he'd felt his heart beat to life at Sam's conversation. It was pretty much all he had been able to think about ever since.

He glanced over at Sam asleep in the bed once more and he knew it was now or never. If Sam was to reject him, Jack knew he wouldn't exactly get over it, but he also knew it would be better than continuing to live in uncertainty and wondering 'what if' for the rest of his life – especially if Sam still decided that she was going to marry Pete.

_Pete._ Jack frowned as he looked around Sam's bedroom. He was sitting by her side and watching her sleep while Carter's fiancé was… _where, exactly?_

Jack's frown deepened as he thought back over the past few hours and he had a growing suspicion that Sam had yet to tell Pete about her father.

He wondered briefly what would happen in the cop was to turn up unannounced, but then Jack realized that he didn't really care. _He_ was the one who'd comforted Sam back at the SGC. _He'd_ been the one to hold her as they'd made their way to his truck. He had been the one to drive her home and stay with her. Not Pete, so whether he suddenly decided to show up, Jack decided that was fine, but he wasn't going anywhere. He had promised Sam that he would be there when she woke up and he didn't intend to go back on his word.

* * *

The sound of a child's laughter pulled Jack from his thoughts and as he looked around, he realized they'd reached the mess hall. With a quick glance at Teal'c – who had Jo hanging onto his left leg – he smiled. The additional weight did nothing to slow down the Jaffa as he took point and entered the room first. Jack's smile widened when he heard Jo laugh again as Teal'c lifted her onto his shoulders and as he held the door open for the rest of the family, Jack paused on the threshold as Daniel directed Mark and Liz towards a table at the far side of the room.

Sam would be fine, he told himself, and Jack definitely wasn't going anywhere.

**TBC...**

* * *

**Hope everyone is staying safe and keeping healthy with everything that is going on at the moment in the world. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: This chapter is another flashback, with the majority of the chapter picking up from the where the previous chapter's flashback ended… if that makes sense. The timeline becomes clearer after this, I swear!**

* * *

Sam sat on the small wooden bench outside her new house as she waited for Pete to arrive. She was glad the General had agreed to give her an hour away from the base.

She glanced around the large front yard and sighed. When she'd spoken to Pete on the phone the previous day, he had insisted on driving to Colorado Springs to be with her, but she had managed to convince him to stay in Denver until this morning.

He wasn't happy with her request, but it was only when she'd been forced to lie and explained that she would be spending the night at the SGC, did he reluctantly agree.

She closed her eyes, tipped her head back and allowed the sun to warm her face. She had changed into her civvies before leaving the base and was suddenly glad for the decision. Being buried under a mountain almost every day of the year often made it difficult to determine what weather conditions to expect when one actually left the base, but Sam was thankful to have dressed appropriately for today.

It was a beautiful spring day with just a few clouds in the sky, but it felt warmer than usual for the Springs this time of year. The occasional light breeze cooled the air just enough as Sam started to get too warm and she contentedly listened to the quiet surroundings that were only occasionally interrupted by a couple of birds chirping overhead.

She cast her gaze over the front yard; it was a lot larger than her current yard but it was beautiful; flower beds, full of yellow, orange and red bursts of color lined both sides of the brick path that led to the front door. To her left was a large rose bush in full bloom and the fragrance from the petals filled the air, while the adjacent cream hydrangeas were also in their glory.

As the breeze picked up, Sam watched as the cream flowers appeared to mingle with the pink roses and they moved and twisted to form various patterns and her chest tightened when she realized those were the two colors she had picked for her wedding flowers.

She shook her head and tried to push those thoughts away and instead focused on the line of trees behind her and the way the branches cast ever-changing shadows across the lawn. Sam then looked at the house once more. It really was a beautiful house – and one she'd dreamed of living in when she was younger.

Along with the clichéd tall, dark and handsome husband, 2.5 kids, a dog and a white picket fence. It was a proper family home, she thought wryly_._

The house was painted olive green with cream for the extras, but it felt out of place compared to the yard. Even the front porch, with its hanging baskets and flower pots placed carefully around did nothing to soften the feeling of impending doom it gave Sam.

Silently admonishing herself for thinking a wooden structure could be out to get her, Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had been convinced that her relationship with Pete was her chance to have everything else she wanted from life. She had the job already, but she didn't have the family, the married life, the love, that so many people experience; but she now knew this was no longer the life she needed. Or, more accurately, it was not with the man she wanted it with.

She sighed heavily as she found herself thinking back to the previous day.

* * *

Sam woke with a start, unsure of her surroundings and when she glanced at the clock on her beside unit saw that it was just after nine in the morning. It took a few more moments for her to realize that she was home and that General O'Neill had brought her home. It was at that moment, that she also remembered why, and she felt a new wave of grief threaten to overwhelm her.

It was only when she heard a noise come from elsewhere in the house that she decided she didn't want to stay in bed, or be alone, anymore. She made her way through the house and reached the kitchen just as the General ended his phone call and he turned around to find her staring at him from the doorway.

He held her gaze for a moment then gave her a quick onceover before his lips twitched slightly and Sam realized she probably looked terrible.

"Hey."

"Hi," she replied softly.

"You okay?"

Suddenly, she no longer trusted her voice and instead nodded, but she wasn't sure she convinced either of them with her answer. The General didn't push her though and for that she was thankful as he gestured towards one of the kitchen chairs and he stepped over to the coffee machine.

"I, uh, I didn't wake you, did I?"

Sam glanced up at the question; his words were careful, guarded, but she shook her head – only to remember his back was to her.

"I'd a few calls to make back at the base," he added. He turned to look at her and Sam shook her head again.

"You didn't wake me."

Jack set her coffee on the table and let his hand hover on the mug before he turned to grab another mug for himself and sat on the chair opposite. They stayed silent for a few moments before Sam lowered her gaze.

"Thank you, sir."

"For what?"

She allowed herself a small smile. It seemed most of their conversations over the past twenty-four hours had followed this same route. Maybe it was a sign, she told herself as she met his eye.

"For still being here."

The general smiled, but didn't say anything and Sam took a drink of her coffee as she wondered if she should break the silence again.

"Are you needed back at the SGC?"

Her question seemed to surprise him, but the emotion quickly vanished.

"Not for another couple of hours."

When she continued to stare at him, he shrugged. "I pushed my briefing with SG-4 back until seventeen hundred hours and I've paperwork that needs completed before then." Sam caught his hesitation before he added, "I did arrange for some to be dropped off here but…"

He trailed off as Sam followed his gaze and she noticed the manila folders on the kitchen counter.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't –"

"Ah!"

She frowned at the interruption and he sighed. "So help me, Carter, if you were about to apologize for keeping me away from my work."

At his words, Sam felt her face start to burn but then Jack leaned an elbow on the table. "Sam, look at me," he said quietly. When she finally followed his order, he added, "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

Something broke free in her chest at his admission and it took all her strength not to cry.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I can stay for a while longer," Jack continued, his attention falling to his coffee cup. "If you want, that is – and I can have Daniel and Teal'c keep you company when I'm gone."

She shook her head. "No, I'll be fine, sir. I can head back to the SGC with you, if that's okay. I've still all of the arrangements to take care of and –"

"I'd prefer you to stay here today, Carter," he interrupted carefully. "We can help you with the arrangements, but it'll be easier in the privacy of your own home. Besides," he added, "if I let you on base, you will insist on staying longer than necessary because you'll get distracted with some new doohickey of yours – and you're not to do any work or experiments for the next few days. That's an order."

Sam smiled feebly at his attempt to lighten the mood, but it didn't change the fact that she really didn't want to stay at home. The words escaped her before she could stop them.

"I don't want to be on my own, sir."

"You won't; I'm here now and the guys –"

A shake of her head stopped the rest of his sentence.

"Do you want me to go?"

"No," she answered, "I just – I don't –"

"Are you expecting Pete?"

The mention of her fiancé's name surprised Sam.

"No," she admitted. "He… I haven't told him yet."

A beat passed before her eyes widened. "Mark! I said I would phone him back… _shit!_"

She didn't notice Jack reach over the table until she felt his hand squeeze hers gently.

"Carter," he said. "Take it easy. You –"

"He needs to organize time off work and sort flights – and the kids –"

_"Carter!"_

She looked at him and he ran his thumb along her fingers. "Mark called earlier; I picked up," he added uncomfortably. "He said he's doing okay, so I told him you'd phone back this morning."

"I should have called him back last night," she argued, pulling her hand free as she got to her feet. The general followed.

"You were in no state when I brought you home," Jack reminded her. "Mark knows that – he wanted to know if you were alright."

Sam's attention snapped to him. "You – you spoke to my brother?"

"Yeah," he shrugged.

"What did you tell him?"

"That you were resting," he answered slowly. She waited as he studied her and when he spoke again, his voice was softer than before. "I told your brother that all he needs to do is book the appropriate time off work. When the details have been finalized, there'll be a plane waiting at Edwards. It'll bring them into Peterson."

"What?"

"I made a few calls while you were asleep," Jack shrugged, as if it was nothing. "Just go, call your brother, let him know how you're doing and then we'll figure out the arrangements."

His revelation surprised Sam and she found herself unable to move. A few seconds later, the general moved, placed his hands on her shoulders and encouraged her to get to her feet. He then gestured for her to leave the kitchen.

"Never thought I'd see the day you're rendered speechless, Carter," he smirked. "Wish I'd a camera on me."

They came to a stop at the phone that rested on the small hallway table and Sam glanced at him. She tried to ignore their close proximity – and the effect it was having on her already heightened emotions. The unguarded look that flashed in the general's eyes didn't help her resolve either.

"Sir –"

"Call your brother," he murmured. "You can thank me later."

With that, he turned and headed back to the kitchen and Sam lifted the phone.

Forty minutes passed before she ended the call.

She wiped at her eyes and decided she needed to shower and try and clear her head before she went in search of the general. By the time she resurfaced, it was after eleven and she had more questions than answers, but as she neared the kitchen the smell of bacon and eggs filled the air. It smelled delicious and – as if on cue – her stomach growled to remind her that she hadn't eaten in hours, if not a couple of days. She rounded the corner and walked straight into Jack. The unexpected contact caused her to lose her balance and she took a step back, only to find the general's hands on her upper arms. His grasp firm, yet still gentle, as he kept her on her feet and close to him.

"I was just about to see if you were okay," he said quietly. "Breakfast is served."

At his boyish grin, Sam couldn't help but smile and she sat down at the table. They both ate in silence for a few minutes when Jack spoke up.

"So, how's Mark?"

Sam stiffened at the question, but hoped the man sitting opposite hadn't noticed. She slowly finished eating a mouthful of food, then shrugged.

"Dad was supposed to visit them the day he – he died," she admitted. "Mark's finding it hard to accept. Liz, his wife, is going to phone again later."

She glanced up to see the general's gaze on his food, so she took a deep breath and gathered her courage to ask about something that had occurred to her while she was in the shower.

"Sir, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Will Agent Johnson not be wondering where you are? Or why you stayed here – with me – all night?"

Immediately, Sam realized she had taken him by surprise as he started to choke on the mouthful of eggs he'd shoved in his mouth just before she'd asked her question. She was by his side in an instant, but he waved off her help and reached for his coffee instead. When he stopped coughing and cleared his throat, Sam noticed he looked uncomfortable and she winced.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean – it's none of my business and I shouldn't have asked," she apologized as she returned to her chair and pushed the rest of her breakfast around the plate.

"No. She won't." His words were quiet, but deafening in the otherwise silent kitchen and Sam slowly met his gaze. "We – ah – we broke up."

"Oh." Those three words caused Sam's carefully constructed walls to start breaking and she swallowed hard. "I – I'm sorry, general."

He shrugged, then dipped a finger into his coffee as if he'd spotted a piece of lint on the surface. "She said I had 'issues'."

"Don't we all?"

"This one was big though."

"Oh?"

Just as the tension started to become unbearable, the house phone rang and Sam uttered a curse.

"Carter?"

Her gaze snapped back to him as Jack looked at her with concern.

"Do you want me to –" He gestured towards the phone, but Sam shook her head. She knew who it was and she didn't feel like talking.

"No," she finally said. "Just let it ring."

She chose to ignore the way the general's eyebrows rose so high they'd have made Teal'c jealous.

"I thought you were expecting a call?"

"It's too early," she answered. "It'll be Pete." She risked another glance at him. "Please, just let it ring. I don't want him to know I'm home."

She saw his gaze drift to the hall before returning to her. "What's going on, Sam?"

"I just want to be by myself."

He frowned slightly. "Do you want me to go?"

"_No!_ I mean – no, of course not. I just – I can't deal with Pete right now. I know he means well, but he'd be _too_ supportive if he was here. He – he doesn't know me like you do."

The phone stopped ringing, making her final words echo loudly through the kitchen.

But before Jack could say anything, Sam closed her eyes briefly in frustration as her cell phone started vibrating from its spot on the kitchen counter. With a sigh, she got her feet and made her way across the kitchen. She stared at the phone, then flicked it open.

"Carter."

_"Sam! Mark just told me. I'm so sorry babe. Are you okay?"_

She grimaced at his pet name. No matter how many times she said she hated it, he still insisted on using it. She bit back her initial response and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"No, not really."

_"Right, of course you're not, sorry. I'm going to finish work early and drive up to be with you, okay?"_

"_No!_ No, you – you don't need to do that, Pete. Honestly."

_"You shouldn't be alone, Sam."_

"I'm not alone."

She suddenly wanted to kick herself as she was greeted by silence on the other end of the phone.

_"You're... you're not?"_

"No," she replied. "My team are here."

_"Is General O'Neill there too?"_

"Yes. He is." She held her breath as she heard the rustle of papers over the phone before Pete cleared his throat.

"I'll drive down to Colorado when I finish my shift."

She heard the slightest change in his tone and she knew that he wouldn't let the issue go. With a sigh, Sam looked over her shoulder to find the general watching her and she held the phone away from her ear. Weirdly, it didn't feel like he had intruded on her personal phone call; rather, it was Pete who had intruded on their conversation around the kitchen table. Like a lightning bolt, and probably for the first time in over a year, Sam knew with absolute clarity what she was going to do. She switched her attention to the phone, but held Jack's stare.

"I'm staying at the base tonight." She refused to respond to Jack's reaction. "But can you meet me at the house tomorrow? I'll let you know a time later."

She didn't miss his sigh. _"Sure, Sam. Should I book the next few days off? I can help you arrange –"_

"No, it's okay. You don't need to do that. Just – be there – please."

She bid Pete a strained goodbye and ended the call.

"Staying at the base?" Jack asked, his amusement evident.

"I didn't know what else to say."

"Carter," he sighed. "I know it's none of my business, but –"

"Yes, sir?"

"What's going on?" When she didn't answer, he gestured towards the cell phone still clutched in her right hand. "Is lying – albeit badly – something you tend to do with your fiancé? If you've had an argument –"

"It's not that, sir. It's just... it's complicated."

"Shouldn't you be trying to sort the issue. I mean," she watched as he took a deep breath, "you are getting married soon."

"I'm not –" Sam stopped abruptly and shook her head. "I really need to start with these arrangements, sir."

* * *

The rumble of a truck engine could be heard in the distance and it pulled Sam from her thoughts. She looked up, then glanced at her watch. Eleven thirty. Pete was right on time.

Sam watched as he jumped out of his truck and as she slowly got to her feet, she took a deep breath. She hated herself for what she was about to do.

**TBC...**


	10. Chapter 10

As Pete approached, a sympathetic smile was already fixed on his face and Sam tried not to pull away as he kissed her.

"I'm so sorry, Sam."

She nodded but didn't say anything and when Pete started to run his hands over her back in circular motions in an attempt to comfort her, it only served to enhance Sam's discomfort. She slowly pulled back but Pete caught her hand and she waited silently as he cast his gaze over her.

Only this time it felt almost intrusive; nothing like how General made her feel when he also studied her that morning in her house. With the General, he knew when she was hiding something from him, but he never pushed her. He would wait. He would always wait until she was ready to confide in him. Yet with Pete, even though he had his suspicions that she was hiding something from him too, he always tried to guess as to what it was. He never trusted her, or seemed willing to give her time to figure it out for herself first.

As she stood in front of Pete, she knew she was making a mistake. She knew he loved her and was trying to comfort her, but he wasn't _comforting_. She felt suffocated by his overwhelming need to constantly show or tell her that if she needed someone to be there for her, he was the one.

But he wasn't, and Sam was hit with guilt as her thoughts focused on the two different men currently breaking down the barriers she had worked hard to construct for herself over the years.

Pete pressed another kiss against her lips and he gave her hands a light squeeze, but she felt nothing in return. No excitement, no spark…

"Sam?"

His voice pulled Sam put of her reverie. Her fiancé had just held her in his arms and kissed her, but she'd felt nothing stirring inside her; yet, she only had to think of the General placing his arm around her in the Isolation Room and she felt warm and safe and something else she still wasn't quite ready to label.

With Pete, she thought she was comfortable and content and satisfied. With Jack, she felt comforted and safe and alive.

"I'm sorry, Pete."

He gave her another smile, then shrugged. "It's okay babe, you're still in shock." He moved closer to give her another hug, but Sam pulled her hand away and gestured towards the bench.

"Can we talk?"

"Uh, sure."

She could feel his eyes on her as she sat first and glanced over the yard once again.

"– they arrive okay?"

Sam didn't realize Pete had broken the silence and she frowned at his question. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Pete hesitated for a second then looked down at his hands. "I spoke to Mark. He said they were catching an early flight and –"

"Oh," Sam nodded, "Yeah, they arrived okay. They're at the base."

The silence that followed Sam's admission was deafening and she realized her mistake too late.

"The – the base? As in – your place of work?"

"Yes."

"Why? I mean," Pete questioned as he shook his head, "Why are they there? Did they get clearance? Does Mark know what you do?"

"Pete –" Sam sighed, "_please_. This isn't the time or place, but we've been over this before, you know I can't tell you more about my job."

She caught his sigh and bit back a retort. "I know," he eventually replied. "I'm sorry, it's just... it's hard. Even though I know about your work, I don't _know_ about it and there's still this whole side to you that I don't know Sam. We're getting married and –"

"It's not –"

"I know Mark is your brother," Pete continued. "But he doesn't even approve of you being in the Air Force. Does he still get the 'it's classified' speech?"

"I didn't ask you here to talk about work."

Pete's sigh was heavier this time and he held up a hand. "Okay," he relented. "So, uh, how are you feeling?"

"Confused, upset, guilty, angry. Pick one," Sam snorted, before she chastised herself. "Sorry, Pete. I didn't –"

"It's fine," he cut in quietly. "I'm – I'm not very good at this, Sam. I only met your dad a couple of days ago and now he's dead. It's a little strange."

She couldn't help the incredulous look she threw in Pete's direction. He shifted uncomfortably.

"That didn't come out right," he mumbled. "I just… your dad just died, Sam. It's natural to feel sad and angry, but I'm here now and I can help you through it."

He took one of her hands in his as she let the silence fall between them.

Sam turned slightly to face Pete as she pulled her hand away again and let them rest on her lap.

"Pete, I need you to listen to me."

"Is everything –"

"Please?"

He mirrored Sam's position on the bench and nodded for her to continue.

"You're a great guy, Pete, and I've really –" She closed her eyes briefly as she added, "You made me happy and made me see what I was missing in life, but… but I can't do this anymore."

"Geez, Sam." She heard Pete chuckle and risked a glance at him. "It sounds like you're breaking up with me."

She winced and then Pete's amusement started to fade. "Sam?"

"I love you, Pete, but not the same way you love me. I can't give – I can't promise you the love that you deserve. And I know that sounds wrong and that I should have said something sooner, but I – I thought it was maybe cold feet but –"

"But?"

"It's not. I'm… I'm sorry."

She carefully placed the small black velvet box on the bench and Pete huffed as he reached for it. Sam watched as a range of emotions passed through his eyes. She felt terrible for hurting him, but she knew it was the right thing to do. Her gaze fell as Pete turned the box over in his hand a couple of times before he flipped the lid open.

Minutes passed as Pete stared at the ring before he turned away from Sam and faced the yard.

"What made you realize it wasn't just –" he refused to meet her eye, and instead made a vague gesture between them.

"It was something my dad said," Sam replied quietly.

"What did he say?"

"Does it matter?"

"I think it does," Pete snapped which startled her. "We're meant to be getting married this month and now you tell me that you can't go through with it – and you won't even tell me why?" He continued to scrutinize the ring box. "Was it to do with General O'Neill?"

Sam looked at him in surprise. "What? I don't –"

"Save it, Sam," he sighed. "I interrogate people for a living – I know when someone is lying to me."

"I'm not –" She straightened and turned to face forward. "Is that what this is? An interrogation?"

He shook his head. "No, I just…"

"I'm sorry."

"I knew from the beginning. I guess I just thought when you said yes that," Pete trailed off and sighed. "You were worth the risk." When Sam went to interrupt, he added: "Don't say I deserve better; can't get much better than you," he finished as he finally looked at her.

"That's not true."

"I wish I could believe this had something to do with your father – you needed some time to just work things out. I guess all I can say is, I hope you get what you want."

Sam stared at him. "That's it?"

"What do you want? You want me to get down on my knees and beg?"

"God, no," Sam retorted. "Of course not! I just… I thought you would react differently."

Pete watched her for a moment longer with tears in his eyes.

"Goodbye, Sam."

Without another word, he stood and started to walk back to his truck.

"Pete!"

He didn't turn around but Sam saw him reach up to wipe at his eyes and as her now ex-fiancé reached the end of the yard, he stopped and pulled the 'Sold' sticker off the sign to reveal the 'For Sale' one still underneath.

It was the action that made Sam realize the enormity of what she had just done and she watched Pete drive away before she angrily swiped at the tears that fell.

"God," she muttered, "how did I get into this mess?"

She stayed at the house a while longer as she pulled herself together, but when she checked her watch she discovered it was almost twelve thirty. She needed to get back to the SGC before her brother started to ask too many questions.

She closed her eyes and sighed.

She knew her family were in the more-than-capable hands of her teammates, but she was also well aware that her brother would know all about her broken engagement by the end of the day.

"Crap," she muttered, "could this day get any worse," she added as she got to her feet and made her way back to her car.

**TBC…**


	11. Chapter 11

It didn't take Sam long to return to the SGC but she found it difficult to put her encounter with Pete behind her in order to focus on everything else that she still needed to address; from Mark and his questions, to the pile of work she had waiting to be completed, to her dad's funeral arrangements.

A part of her felt relieved that she had finally ended her engagement and while she did feel guilty for hurting Pete and treating him badly, she didn't feel bad for actually calling off the wedding. Deep down she knew it was the right decision; it wouldn't have been a happy marriage for either of them.

She closed her eyes; she was no longer worried about Pete but rather Mark. She was fairly certain as to what his reaction would be when he discovered that his sister wouldn't be getting married. He would be surprised by the news, and then disappointed in her because she failed to make yet another relationship work. Then, those emotions would give way to anger – not necessarily because she'd dumped one of his best friends, but because Mark would be able to see through her excuses and he'd view her work as one of the reasons behind her decision and which would, undoubtedly, lead to another argument between the two regarding the Air Force.

Sam sighed heavily as her thoughts shifted to her team. She knew Daniel and Teal'c would be supportive of her decision, and while they never said anything to her, she knew they weren't overly keen on Pete. And then there was General O'Neill. She wondered how he would react to the news of her broken engagement, and it was with startling clarity that she realized this is what unnerved her more than anything else.

She had tried to talk to the General before she knew of her father's ill health and was interrupted by Agent Johnson and yet, as her father had lay dying, he'd found her and comforted her and told her that he would be there for her. _Always._

Something had changed between them in that moment, but they hadn't talked about it so Sam didn't know what she was supposed to do. What if it was still too late? What if they had missed their chance?

In frustration, Sam jumped up from the bench in the locker room and slammed the door to her locker shut. She pressed her forehead against the cool metal and briefly closed her eyes before she stood tall and straightened her BDUs. As she left the room, she heard her dad's advice, _'Don't let rules stand in your way_,' resonate around her. She suddenly felt more confident that this _was_ the right thing to do.

"To hell with it," she murmured as she pushed the button for the elevator. "It's now or never."

* * *

Sam watched the General at his desk for a moment and smiled; despite his continual complaints about having too much paperwork and not being cut out for a desk job, he looked like a leader. Someone who – despite not going off-world or heading up a team anymore – still had their backs and would do anything for his people.

She went to knock on the door when Jack suddenly looked up from his paperwork.

"You're back," he said, giving her a small smile, "c'mon in."

She stepped into the office. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but –"

"You? A bother? Never," he smirked as he returned his gaze to his paperwork. "Close the door," he added with a wave of his hand.

She followed his order and sat down on one of the empty chairs as she waited for him to finish. When he signed every dotted line he needed to, the General flipped the folder shut and threw it onto the outbox, before he leaned back in his chair.

"What can I do for you, Carter?"

"Uh, well –" she winced at her awkwardness because suddenly the idea that she was going to suggest they should talk no longer seemed like such a good idea.

"Did you get everything sorted? You know, your personal matters," he added after a beat.

It was an opening and she took a deep breath. "Yes, sir, thank you. I, ah, that's what I actually wanted to talk to you about."

She noticed the General's demeanor change; his open expression from moments ago had been replaced with a blank look. "I see."

"I wanted to tell you that I – that Pete – we're not –"

The shrill ring of Jack's phone made Sam jump and interrupted the rest of her sentence. She closed her eyes in frustration and didn't even attempt to guess who was on the other end of the line. _Typical,_ she thought bitterly, _even now things still tried to conspire against them.  
_  
_"Carter."_

She opened her eyes to find the General had ended the call and was watching her with an amused expression. "What did you want to tell me?"

Sam let her gaze roam over his face before she forced a smile and shook her head. "It can wait."

"Are you sure?" he asked slowly. She nodded, no longer trusting her voice, while Jack averted his gaze. He picked up a pen as he added, "if it's important –"

"Maybe later," Sam cut in softly, "and somewhere that isn't here."

"Okay."

They held each other's gaze for a moment longer before Sam cleared her throat and said brightly, "So, I hope my brother wasn't too much trouble while I was gone."

"Your brother's been quiet, actually," he replied, following her lead. "He seems to be taking everything in, while Liz finds the whole thing fascinating." His expression changed and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he studied Sam. "The real trouble came courtesy of the kids."

She groaned. "What happened?"

"Nothing, _per se_, but Jo is quite the storyteller."

Sam frowned. "Sir?"

His smile widened as he rested his forearms on the table and leaned closer. "Who knew those kids had such a cool aunt?"

A feeling of dread settled over Sam and her wide, horror-filled eyes locked onto the General's. She refused to acknowledge the waver in her voice. "What did she tell you?"

"Well, I gotta say, Carter; I always thought of you as more like Wonder Woman."

He then threw the pen he'd been dismantling onto the desk and sat back in his chair and Sam realized he was enjoying her discomfort just a little too much.

"Oh, no," she whispered.

"Oh, yes," the General replied. "Jo told us all about your exploits the last time you paid them a visit."

"General," she warned, "I –"

"Something about a Superwoman costume and lots of candy?"

"Oh God," Sam muttered. She could feel her face burning. "It was _Halloween_, sir," she offered meekly. "I promised I would take them trick-or-treating. I didn't know they'd make me wear a costume too!"

The defensive tone that laced her voice was soon joined by a chuckle from the man sitting at the opposite side of the desk. "They're kids, Carter," he shrugged, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "it's what they do."

She grumbled under her breath before she met his eye again. "What else did Jo tell you, sir?"

"Now, that would be telling, Sam."

"You can't –"

"Nothing too damning, I swear. Look, Scout Promise," he added at her dubious look as he gave her a three-finger salute. "Although –"

"Although?" Sam parroted.

"I did have to leave lunch early but Jo did promise she'd tell me more about her 'cool aunt Sam' later."

Sam paled. "_Later_, sir?"

"We made a deal."

"You made a deal? With my five-year-old niece?"

"She's a cute kid, what can I say?" he shrugged. "Look, you're taking your family back to your place to stay."

She nodded and he canted his head to study her. "How do you expect to fit them all in your car without making more than one trip?"

"I –"

"Exactly, you can't. So," he then took a breath as he let his gaze fall to his hands, "I thought I could maybe put the kids in my truck, and Mark and Liz could go with you."

"I don't –"

"To be fair, Carter," he said slowly, "you don't have much choice in the matter." She frowned in confusion and he added, "I was only running the idea past Liz earlier but Jo kind of overheard and –"

A soft chuckle escaped Sam and she nodded. "Let me guess, Jo answered for everyone."

"Pretty much," he grinned.

"Well, in that case," Sam smiled, "thank you. Maybe we should invite Daniel and Teal'c, too?"

"It's your decision, Sam."

She pursed her lips as she thought about it; she was pretty sure none of her family would mind the guys joining them later, except for Mark, but Sam wasn't quite sure she was ready to face him alone just yet. She still had to figure out how she was going to tell him about Pete. "It'd be nice."

"Then I'll let the guys know."

Sam nodded as she went to stand, only for the General to wave her back down. "There's just one more thing before you go," he said.

"Yes, sir?"

"You and Mark need to decide on the final arrangements before sixteen-hundred. Once you do that, I'll handle the paperwork, and then you are to shut down your experiments and your lab and take the week off."

"General –"

"I mean it, Carter. For the first time in eight years, there's no imminent threat hanging over our heads. We could all do with the break, especially you. I want you to take the downtime and use it as such; that means nothing work-related – even while you're at home. I'll search your bags before you leave if I have to."

"You wouldn't."

"Want to take the chance?" After a moment, he hesitantly added, "the world's not going to end if your focus is on something other than work now, Sam. Trust me."

Her gaze snapped to his at his final words and she searched for the hidden meaning she was sure was there. Slowly, she nodded, then quietly asked, "Maybe later?"

Jack held her gaze as he understood. "At somewhere that isn't here?"

"Yeah."

"We'll talk," he promised.

Sam let out a breath and knew it was the end of the conversation. She got to her feet and had just opened the door when she turned back.

"I left them in the mess," he supplied as he flicked open another folder.

"Thank you," she said softly. She couldn't hide her smile as she went in search of her family.

**TBC…**


	12. Chapter 12

Sam quickly located her family and the rest of her team in the mess hall as they sat at the far right of the room, out of the way of everyone else. The General had obviously picked the spot, which she appreciated. She smiled when she saw the tables pulled together so they could all sit around them comfortably.

"Hi guys," she smiled.

"Auntie Sam!"

Sam's smile widened at Jo's enthusiasm and she had just enough time to catch her niece as he jumped off her chair and launched herself at her aunt. Mark moved across to Jo's chair, so Sam took Mark's and pulled the little girl onto her lap.

"When did you get back?" Daniel asked.

"Not long; I called in to see the General first."

"Where were you?"

She turned at Mark's question, but kept her gaze on Jo. "I… had to take care of something."

"That wasn't what I asked."

She spared a glance at her brother but knew better than to retaliate. Instead, she looked at the kids and hoped her smile didn't look too forced. "What have you been up to?"

Before anyone else could speak, Jo half-turned so she could see Sam and started to talk.

"General Jack brought us lunch! He said I had to eat some sandwiches first before I was allowed any chocolate cake. He had some cake too, but not sandwiches and when I asked him why he didn't have to eat lunch first, he laughed and said I wasn't to tell you… oops."

Jo's confusion at the General's instructions turned to embarrassment when she realized she had spilled his secret and Sam smiled. "Did –"

"Jack then told us some jokes," Jo continued, "they were funny."

Sam glanced from her niece to her teammates and saw Daniel shake his head slightly while Teal'c's eyebrow lifted. Clearly, they had different definitions of 'funny'.

"Daniel and Teal'c also said you were cool and very good at your job, so I told them what a cool auntie you are too!"

"So I heard," Sam muttered, throwing Daniel a warning look as he snorted. Undaunted by the comments, however, Jo had continued to talk.

"– the time we went trick or treating. General Jack got a funny look on his face and I had to hit him on the back when he started to choke on his cake. Daddy told me off for hitting him, but Jack said it was okay," she grinned, and Sam took that to mean Jo clearly valued the General's opinion over Mark's. She hid her wince. "Then he had to go back to work, but promised we'd talk more later."

With that, Sam watched as Jo reached for the rest of her chocolate cake while she slowly glanced at the other adults around the table. None of them seemed to feel the need to add anything else to Jo's rendition of events – nor did they seem about to ask Sam any questions, so she let out a breath before she met Mark's gaze.

"We should probably –"

"Yeah," he nodded.

* * *

_"Holy Hannah!" _A low whistle escaped Mark as he stepped inside Sam's lab and did a slow 360-degree turn. "_This_ is your lab – and all of these machines? They're safe, right?"

"Yes, they're perfectly safe," she smiled as she sat down at her computer, "unless you decide to break one of them and then you'll owe the American government a few hundred thousand dollars."

"Oh," Mark replied as he carefully kept his hands by his sides and moved towards the center of the room. "So, what do they all do?"

"I wouldn't ask that question unless you really want to know the answer," a voice answered from the doorway.

Mark turned to see General O'Neill casually leaning against the doorframe. One hand was stuffed in the pocket of his BDUs while he held a tray of food in the other hand. Mark glanced from Jack to Sam just in time to see her rolling her eyes.

He frowned. "What did I say?"

"Nothing," Jack said as he stepped into the lab, "but once Carter starts on about her doohickeys, there's no stopping her." He then set the tray of food onto the bench and Mark glanced at its contents; two chicken and salad sandwiches, a slice of carrot cake, a glass of blue Jell-O and a can of diet soda, before he looked at Sam.

"Sir?"

"I know you haven't eaten today," he offered with a shrug as he pushed the tray towards her.

"I had breakfast."

"And it's now late lunch," the General retorted.

Mark listened to their conversation with interest, but didn't interfere. Instead, he pretended to be studying Sam's lab.

"And I expect you to make an effort with the food, Carter. Start with the sandwiches, before you hit the Jell-O. Mark will tell me if you don't, won't you?"

The younger man's gaze snapped to Jack whose expression brooked no argument. He quickly nodded in agreement.

"Excellent," Jack smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a briefing with SG-12." As the General backed out of the lab and headed down the corridor, Sam heard the smile in his voice as he added, "and remember Carter, absolutely _no work!_ Mark will tell me about that too."

A soft chuckle escaped her before she started to push the tray away.

"Oh, no, you don't," Mark said as he pushed the tray back. "Did you see the look he gave me? You're eating this food, Sam."

Her lips twitched. "Since when do you take orders from anyone? Especially from someone who's in the Air Force?"

"Since I realized I don't want to find out what will happen to me if I don't. Now, _eat._"

"Fine," she sighed.

"Thank you."

They fell into a comfortable silence and Mark waited until Sam had eaten one of the sandwiches and the glass of Jell-O, before he decided to ask his question.

"Does he always do this?"

Sam frowned slightly. "What?"

"The General," Mark clarified. "Does he always bring you lunch?"

She squared her shoulders slightly as a light blush appeared on her face. "Not usually, no."

"So, usually…"

"Usually Daniel or Teal'c have to drag me from the lab."

The revelation didn't surprise Mark in the slightest but he wasn't annoyed or disappointed either. With a smile, he shook his head and studied his sister. "At least they look after you," he finally muttered.

* * *

It took a further two hours and a handful of phone calls before they were able to finalize the arrangements for Jacob's memorial. A memorial service with full honors would be held for their father at Fort Lyons in three days' time, on Thursday. A few personnel from the SGC would attend the service alongside the family and SG-1, as well as two members of the Tok'ra who were the closest to Selmak, while a representative from the Joint Chiefs would also be at the ceremony. A wake would then be held at General O'Neill's house for a more informal celebration of Jacob's life where other members of the SGC could come and pay their respects. Sam had decided to leave those particular arrangements to the General as he'd requested and Sam was just about to broach the subject of tonight's dinner plans when Daniel and Teal'c arrived in the Briefing Room along with Liz and the children.

Daniel was the first to enter with Liz on one side and Beth on the other and all three appeared deep in conversation, but when Sam heard the words 'Egypt' and '3000BC', she decided not to interrupt. Her gaze then shifted to behind them where she caught sight of Ben grinning. When she moved to get a better look, she started to laugh as Teal'c entered the room. He stood tall but there was a bemused expression on his face as Jo clung onto his shoulders and giggled as she received a piggy-back ride into the center of the room. Sam exchanged a quick, amused glance with the General before he spoke.

"Having fun there, T?"

"Indeed, O'Neill. Jo Carter has been informing me of a number of traditions and customs regarding the young children of this planet. I felt it only appropriate that I attend to these issues."

With a shrug, Jack let his gaze flick to Carter before he clapped his hands together.

"Alright, well, Carter and Mark have finished the arrangements, but we'll discuss it later," he said, gesturing subtly to Sam's nieces and nephew. "I just have a couple of things I need to sign off and Carter has to go lock up her lab," he said with a lopsided grin in her direction, "and then we can get out of here for the day."

**TBC…**


	13. Chapter 13

"It's blue!"

"_Blue?_ No, red is definitely the best."

"Red is icky."

"Icky, huh?" Jack grinned. "You know blue is Carter's favorite too?"

"Yep."

The word was followed by laughter and Jack glanced in the rear-view mirror to find Jo smiling at him as they discussed the finer points of Jell-O. He shook his head in amusement and returned his attention to the road.

He was surprised at the similarities between the little girl and Samantha Carter. Her blonde hair was the first giveaway and it fell to her shoulders in loose ringlets which bounced around wildly whenever she moved. She also had the wide, piercing blue eyes which he had long associated with _his_ Carter. Ben and Beth, meanwhile, had blue eyes too, but had brown hair like their father.

As Jack turned onto the next street, he knew he was still a few minutes out from Carter's house. She had left the base with Mark and Liz almost an hour earlier, while Daniel and Teal'c were close behind as they had offered to visit the store and "acquire further sustenance", according to the Jaffa. Their departure from the base meant Jack had been left in charge of the three Carter kids – which was just fine by him. He had managed to finish his paperwork in record time before he'd stopped off at the base gym to pick up something and then changed into his civvies before he gathered up Jo, Beth and Ben and headed for the surface. Once he made sure the kids were secured in their seats, they'd quickly made their way through the security checkpoints before Jack had decided to start a game of 'Twenty Questions'.

Ben, he'd discovered, was fifteen and a Freshman and into sports as he was on the hockey, football and track teams at school. He also followed the San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks religiously, which prompted a detailed discussion between him and Jack as to their favourite team for the MLB title this season and how – if they could go back in time – they'd travel to 1908 to watch the Cubs win the World Series.

Beth was twelve and, for all intents and purposes, was very, _very_ smart for her age. She wasn't into sports or boys – despite her brother's teasing – and when she wasn't studying, she spent her time outdoors reading.

And then there was Jo, the youngest Carter kid at the age of five and who liked to talk for America. She loved kindergarten and enjoyed drawing and playing games. She also liked pizza with tater tots and ketchup, while her favourite dessert – aside from chocolate cake – was blue Jell-O.

The sound of Ben talking pulled Jack from his thoughts and he glanced over to the front passenger seat. "Hmm?"

"I said, why do you call her Carter?"

"Why not?" He answered as he turned onto Carter's street.

"Why don't you call her Sam?"

Jack winced as he thought about how best to answer the question.

"In our jobs, it's easier to refer to each other by our surnames."

"But you call Daniel and Teal'c by their names."

"Ah," Jack said as he brought the truck to a stop outside Sam's house, "but they aren't in the Air Force like your aunt is." He risked a glance at Ben and saw him shrug in response to his answer, so he smiled and hiked a thumb over his shoulder. "We're here."

He watched Ben and Beth as they jumped out of the truck and then he moved to the back to help Jo out of her seat. Before he closed the door, he reached across and grabbed a small duffle bag that he had taken from the SGC's gym earlier.

"Come on, General Jack!"

He locked the truck and turned to see Jo standing at the end of the garden path and bouncing from one foot to another. He took a step forward just as Jo grabbed his hand and tried to pull him towards the house as she started to skip. They reached the front door as Daniel appeared looking smug.

"You should try skipping sometime Jack. I'd think it'd suit you," he smirked.

"Watch it, Danny," he warned as he followed his friend into the house and through to the kitchen where Sam, Mark and Liz were sitting. He set the duffle on the empty chair by the table.

"What's in the bag, sir?"

"Ah, that would be classified, Carter." She eyed him warily for a moment before he shrugged. "Relax, it's just something to keep the kids occupied."

"Yeah," Jo nodded as her mom pulled her onto her knee, "General Jack promised to play with us."

"Did he now?"

"That's great," Liz answered, ignoring Mark's barbed comment, "but if Jack's busy –"

He lifted a hand and waved away her concern. "Nah, it's fine," he smiled. "Just don't tell the doc."

With that, he crossed the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. Mark watched him go, letting the other adults continue the conversation as he subtly tried to observe the General as he made himself at home in his sister's kitchen.

He then let his gaze switch to Daniel and Teal'c. All four of them were so familiar with each other and Mark felt a pang of jealousy as he watched Sam roll her eyes at something Daniel had said. It made him realize that the archaeologist had, over the years, been the brother Mark had failed to be for so long.

Then there was Teal'c; Mark thought of him as another, much older, brother to Sam but he wasn't jealous. He actually found the comparison more comforting because he knew that whenever Sam was in the Jaffa's company, he would do anything and everything in his power to keep her safe.

And then there was General O'Neill.

Mark bit back a sigh. He couldn't fathom what, exactly, his relationship with Sam entailed. He knew Jack was her commanding officer but he also had his suspicions that there was something _more_. He'd only saw Sam and Jack together on a couple of occasions but each time he thought he'd noticed _something._ It was little things really: a look here, a small gesture there – like the General bringing lunch to the lab – but it was enough for Mark to wonder. He did his best to try to push his curiosity aside though, knowing that his sister was engaged to Pete.

A sigh escaped him, drawing everyone's attention and he winced. Before he could say anything, however, Jack reached for the duffle bag.

"Alright," he called as he headed for the back door, "Up and at 'em, soldiers!"

The kids immediately followed while curiosity made the others also head into the yard, while Mark watched from a distance as Jack pulled the contents out of the bag.

"Sir," Sam said as she stepped closer, "is that Whiffle Ball?" He paused in the middle of setting up the game and spun around to face her. "You don't need to look so surprised," she added with amusement.

"I'm just surprised you know what Whiffle Ball is – what with you being a geek and all as a kid."

"Very funny, sir," she muttered. "but believe it or not, I did lift my head from a book every once in a while, and enjoy my childhood. Whiffle Ball was actually one of my favorite past times – and I _wasn't_ a geek."

"Whatever you say, Carter."

"Where'd you get it from?"

He turned his attention back to the game. "I, ah, picked it up from the base gym earlier."

"The base gym?" she repeated disbelievingly. "Since when does the SGC –"

"Ever since I came up with the idea," he interrupted awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

She narrowed her eyes and studied him before she glanced around to see Ben pointing to one of the counters as he spoke to Daniel.

"Please don't tell me you actually play this on the base."

"No," he said defensively, "I play it on the surface."

When Sam continued to stare, he shrugged. "There's a game every Wednesday afternoon. Teal'c, Reynolds, Dixon and Bosworth tend to be regulars – when they're here, that is. A few of the marines also join in. You have to watch those jarheads you know, they're bad losers," he smirked.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since my promotion."

"I had no idea."

"That's because you decided to finally go and get yourself a life." The moment the words left his mouth, he sighed. "I'm sorry, Carter. I didn't –"

_"General Jack!"_ He tore his gaze away and saw Jo wave at him a few feet away. "Teal'c says it's time to play!"

He glanced back to Sam and knew the moment had passed. Instead, he canted his head and studied her. "You up for a game?"

A flicker of hesitation crossed her face before she shook her head. "Maybe later."

She gave him a small smile before she turned and went back inside the house. Jack sighed heavily as he looked up at the sky.

"Jack?"

"_What,_ Daniel?"

"Is everything okay?"

He lowered his head and met his friend's eye. "Just fine," he muttered. He then gave him a look that said _'not now'_ before he handed Daniel the bat. "C'mon, let's not keep the kids waiting."

* * *

It was over an hour later when Sam had to break up the game to say that dinner was on the way, and by the time the kids had helped to pack up and get rid of the last of their energy reserves, the pizzas had finally arrived. Everyone had crowded into the kitchen; Liz and Mark, Ben and Beth were seated at the table, while Jo balanced precariously on one of the stools situated at the breakfast bar. Sam was on her right and Daniel on her left, while Jack and Teal'c leaned against the kitchen countertops.

Sam placed a hand against Jo's back to make sure she wouldn't fall and with her free hand she grabbed another slice of pizza. She smiled as her niece continued to talk about her favorite cartoons when the sound of a phone ringing cut through the conversation and as everyone looked for the source, Mark got to his feet and pulled his cell from his pocket.

"Sorry Sam, I thought I'd switched it off. Is there –"

"You can use my room."

He nodded before he vanished and Sam returned her attention back to her niece, but it was only when there was a break in the conversation that she glanced at her watch and realized Mark had been gone for almost twenty minutes. She was about to go and check on him when he appeared in the doorway. Sam frowned. Her brother looked like he was trying his best to hide his anger a horrible feeling settled in her stomach.

"Mark, is everything okay?"

Sam glanced at Liz before she looked back at Mark who was staring at her.

"Sam, can I see you for a minute?"

She briefly closed her eyes. "Sure," she mumbled.

"Maybe we should go," Daniel suggested.

"No, you're fine," Sam smiled, her eyes almost pleading with them to stay put as she followed Mark into the living room. He paced up and down and Sam noticed his hands were balled into fists by his sides. He suddenly turned to face her and when he spoke, his voice was low and full of anger.

"Do you feel like telling me what the hell is going on?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Sam. You're too smart for that."

She sighed but refused to acknowledge his initial question.

"Do you know who that was on the phone?"

"I have an idea," she mumbled.

"Pete. That's who."

**TBC…**


	14. Chapter 14

"Yeah," Sam sighed as folded her arms and waited for her brother to continue, "I thought so."

"And do you know what he's just after telling me?"

"I have an idea," she mumbled.

"So," Mark said, "when were you going to tell me that you had called off your wedding – and more importantly – why?"

"I was going to tell you tonight," she offered quietly, "once the guys had left."

"And?"

Sam sighed as she sat down on the edge of the couch. "And because it was the right thing to do."

Mark frowned. "I don't understand."

"I realized that going through with the wedding wouldn't be fair to either of us."

"I thought you were happy?"

"I was; at least, I thought I was." She hesitated when Mark's frown deepened. "It's been something I've been thinking about for a while."

"Really?"

"What did Pete tell you?"

"Before or after I asked him about the wedding?"

Sam sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't think he would call you – I really wanted to tell you first."

He studied her for a few seconds before he sat down on the armchair to Sam's left. "Well, Pete's already told me his version. What's yours?"

"Mark –"

"No," he interrupted sharply, "my sister was about to get married and it's only after a phone call from her fiancé – sorry, _former_ fiancé – that I find out she'd actually called the whole thing off. The least you can do is tell me what happened, Sam."

"What did Pete say?"

"Does it matter?" he challenged. "I want to hear it from you."

Sam pursed her lips together before she turned to face her brother. "I hadn't been happy for a while," she admitted. "I thought it was just wedding nerves and tried to keep going but… as time went on, I couldn't help but think that I was making a huge mistake."

"Getting married is a big decision Sam, no one is denying that," Mark said carefully, "especially after Jonas –"

"This has _nothing_ to do with him," she snapped.

"Then what does it have to do with?"

"For cryin' out loud, Mark," she said as she stood up. "It took me two weeks to say yes in the first place. _Two weeks._ Shouldn't that have said something?"

"Sam –"

"And then dad –" She stopped abruptly and closed her eyes. "It doesn't matter."

A few seconds passed in silence before Sam heard Mark getting to his feet. "What about dad?"

Slowly, Sam turned to face him. "Before – before he died, dad said he wanted me to be happy."

"The last time we spoke, you said you were."

"Pete's a good guy, Mark," Sam said quietly, "and he did make me happy. He – he gave me a life outside of work and showed me what it was like to be with someone again."

"But?"

"But I also couldn't be myself. Even though Pete knew about the Program, I couldn't tell him about my work and no matter how many times I told him it was classified, he wouldn't let it go. Did you know he once followed me to a stake out?"

"No," he said quietly, "I didn't know that."

"We hadn't been dating long at the time," she continued, "but he almost got my team killed – and when I confronted him about it afterwards he said he'd been 'concerned' about my job; that it was dangerous." She huffed out a laugh and started to pace up and down the living room. "I _know_ it's dangerous, Mark. I don't need someone to tell me that, and I certainly don't need Pete questioning my career choice. He wanted me to give it all up so we could start a family and get a dog."

"It sounds like a nice life, Sam."

"But what if it's not the life I want?"

Her question was met with silence but she refused to look away as Mark studied her. Finally, she sighed. "I do love Pete," she said, "but I'm not in love with him and I know that makes me a horrible person for leading him on for so long, but I didn't know what else to do. I tried to convince myself that I should marry him, but I can't."

"What made dad think you weren't happy?"

Sam frowned slightly. "What?"

"You said that dad wanted you to be happy," he said, repeating her words from earlier, "so, what made him think otherwise."

A sudden noise from the kitchen drew Sam's attention away from the conversation for a moment and she remembered that they had company – and that they had probably overheard some of their conversation. She gestured for her brother to follow her as she made her way through the kitchen and as she grabbed two beers from the refrigerator, she tried to ignore the way the General's eyes followed her every movement.

She stepped into the back yard and waited for Mark to close the door behind them. It had turned into a cool but clear night and Sam shivered against the cold. As Mark joined her at the railing, she glanced at him and handed him one of the drinks. He nodded his thanks, then turned his attention to the stars. Sam followed his gaze.

"I haven't stopped and just looked at the stars in years," he said after a while, before he took a deep breath, "Do you think dad's up there somewhere?"

Sam wouldn't say she was an overly religious person, but having been fortunate to actually travel across the galaxy – and a number of those times was with her father by her side – she liked to think he was now among the stars and watching over them.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do," she answered as she turned to face her brother.

He mirrored her actions and watched her; his curiosity having seemed to replace his earlier anger.

"So, how was dad responsible for the position you now find yourself in?"

Sam glanced over the back yard as she spoke. "Do you remember when we were kids and everything dad said or did was somehow related to the Air Force?"

Mark huffed. "Yeah."

"I'm not saying it was a bad thing," Sam defended, "but it was like he couldn't let go of the rules and regulations he lived by at work, when he was at home, being our dad."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I hated that sometimes."

"So, did I," Sam added with a small, but sad, smile. "I asked him about them once – the rules and regulations," she clarified when she caught Mark's confusion. "He said they were in place for a reason; that the Air Force had their own rules to help it run smoothly every day." She took a deep breath before continued: "It was so the officers weren't endangered and wouldn't compromise any work and relationship they were involved in."

"What does this have to do with you calling off your wedding?"

"Dad said the rules were important and made to be followed to help keep everyone safe. He believed in them so much, and wanted us to know what they stood for and why, that he wanted us to obey the rules he and mom set out in the house. They were there for a reason – and they weren't to be broken."

"I'm still confused."

"Dad told me not to let rules stand in my way anymore."

"What does that even mean, Sam?" She winced as Mark added, "What rules was he talking about?"

She blew out a breath and her gaze instinctively drifted back to her house. Through the kitchen window she could see her team talking to her nieces and nephew. Her gaze settled on one person in particular, and her lips twitched as she watched him give Jo a high five and a smile.

"It's him, isn't it?"

Her brother's question pulled her from her reverie and she closed her eyes as she nodded. She felt a tear escape and then heard her brother sigh before he took a step closer and pulled her into his arms.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" Mark asked after a few minutes of silence.

Sam pulled back and met his eye before she nodded.

"Did Pete know about the General?"

"They met once."

Mark shook his head. "That's not what I meant."

"I don't know," she sighed. "Mark, nothing has happened between –"

"You don't need to make excuses."

"I'm not making excuses," Sam fired back as she took a step away from her brother. "I just –"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted with a heavy sigh. "I didn't mean for that to sound the way it did. I know you'd never –" He stopped abruptly, as if he suddenly remembered he was talking to his sister about her personal life. He sighed heavily. "I can't say I'm happy about this, Sam. Pete's still a good friend of mine."

"I know," she said.

"Look, we've both been through a lot the past couple of days. Just… give yourself some time. In a couple of days you might change your mind."

"I don't think I will."

He held her gaze for a moment. "No, I don't think you will," he conceded. He took a sip of his beer and headed towards the house. "In that case," he added over his shoulder, "I hope you know what you're doing."

**TBC…**


	15. Chapter 15

Mark closed the kitchen door behind him and was surprised to find the kitchen now empty. With a sigh, he set his bottle of beer down on the counter and made his way to the living room. He stood in the doorway and saw Liz sitting in the armchair and General O'Neill sitting on the couch, while the kids were crowded around the small coffee table playing a board game and talking quietly. He watched them for a moment before he turned his attention back to the adults. They both had a cup of coffee and as he stepped into the room they turned to look at him.

"Do you want a coffee, Mark?" He glanced at his wife and shook his head. Liz then glanced over his shoulder and frowned. "Where's Sam?"

"She's still outside."

"Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine," Jack answered quietly as Liz got to her feet. "I'd just give her a few minutes. Trust me," he added with a wry smile when she hesitated.

She eventually returned to the chair but the tension had started to increase. Sam's admission – that she ended her relationship, in part, because of another man – had shaken Mark and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel. He didn't want to be angry, but he couldn't help but feel slightly rankled by the General's continued presence in his sister's home. As if he heard Mark's thoughts, Jack turned and met his eye. Neither backed down, but there was a hint of a challenge in both of their expressions. Just as the tension was about to become unbearable, Mark broke the silence.

"Where are your friends?"

"They decided to call it a night," Jack answered.

"But you decided to stay?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"_Mark,"_ Liz warned quietly. "Maybe we should –"

"I'm just making conversation."

If the General caught the hint of accusation in Mark's statement, he'd also decided to ignore it. A nudge to Mark's side and he glanced down to find Liz glaring at him. They exchanged a silent conversation as Jack returned to studying his coffee. He swirled the remains of the dark liquid around in the cup before he downed it in one and then got to his feet.

"I'm going to go check on Carter before I head out."

* * *

Jack quietly closed the back door behind him before he made his way over to Sam.

"So," he offered as a way to let her know he was there.

"So," she repeated, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Your family seems nice." A soft chuckle escaped Sam and she pushed herself away from the railing and folded her arms in front of her as she turned to face him. "You alright?" he asked a moment later.

She nodded. "Mark will be fine in a couple of days."

"That's not what I asked."

Sam sighed in response.

"Look," Jack continued as he let his gaze dart around the back yard before he returned his attention to his former second-in-command, "obviously you and your brother have some issues to work out but –"

"How much of our conversation did you hear?"

"Enough to have a fair idea as to what you wanted to tell me back in my office earlier."

She felt her face start to burn with embarrassment. "Sir, I –"

"Sam," he interrupted gently, "go back inside and get some rest. I'll make it an order if I have to," he added with a smirk.

She frowned. "But –"

"I can see myself out."

"You don't have to go."

"Yeah, I do," he sighed. "Your family are inside, and Daniel and Teal'c said they would see you tomorrow."

"I didn't think I was away for so long."

"They didn't want to give you an audience," he shrugged.

"Oh," she averted her gaze, "Well, I appreciate that."

"For the record, I didn't either, but I wasn't leaving until I made sure you were alright."

"I'll be fine." She just managed to bite off the 'Sir' at the end and she grimaced. "Sorry."

"For what?"

Sam hesitated because she suddenly didn't know what she wanted to say – or what, exactly, she was sorry for. There seemed to be so many things she could choose from right now. Instead, she shook her head and mumbled, "Never mind."

Jack's eyes narrowed slightly and he pushed his hands into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. "Yes, well," he said, clearing his throat, "maybe you'll feel like telling me some other time."

"Sir?"

"I've a feeling you and Mark aren't the only ones who have some issues to discuss."

At his words, Sam remembered back to their earlier conversation at the SGC, and it was clear that they needed to talk but, as with most times in their lives over the past eight years, now was still not the right time. As if he could read her mind, he took a step closer.

"I'm not good with this stuff, Sam, and you're going through a lot right now, but… we'll talk, okay?"

When she nodded, he let out a breath and the corner of his lips turned upward. "Okay," he said quietly, "I'm going to head home but if you need me –"

"I'll call."

He watched her for a moment longer. "C'mere," he whispered as he reached for her and she willingly stepped into his embrace. She relaxed against him and focused on nothing else but how perfectly they seemed to fit against one another and how, despite everything she'd gone through over the past few days, for the first time she felt safe and comforted and protected. It was as if nothing else mattered right now, except for the two of them to have this shared moment in an otherwise tumultuous week. A shiver ran down Sam's back and she felt the General run one of his hands up and down her spine before he leaned back.

"Thank you," Sam mumbled and then she received one of those rare Jack O'Neill smiles in return and she felt her stomach flip.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he let her go and he turned and headed back into the house. She watched him go and couldn't help but smile.

"Goodnight, Jack," she whispered.

She stayed outside for another few minutes before joined her family. True to his word, the General had said goodnight to everyone before he'd headed home, but she immediately picked up on the tension in the room. She had quickly exchanged a look with Liz who had offered her an encouraging smile; it didn't quite settle her concerns but it was enough to convince her that her brother hadn't said or done anything condemning in her absence. Although, he didn't appear to be in a very talkative mood; not that she could fully blame him, but she refused to tiptoe around him for the rest of the week. With a sigh, she sat down in the spot the General had occupied earlier and she found herself telling the rest of her family that she had called off her wedding.

* * *

There hadn't been much in the way of conversation following Sam's confession and they'd all bid each other good night just a few minutes afterwards. It turned out to be a sleepless night for Sam, however, but it wasn't because she had to crash in the front room. Having become accustomed to sleeping off-world over the past eight years, she had actually welcomed the comfort of her overstuffed couch. Her inability to sleep was down to the events of the past few hours.

She berated herself for confirming her feelings for General O'Neill to her brother, of all people. Not only that, but her brother was a good friend of her ex-fiancé _and_ also someone who had held a strong disdain for the Air Force over the years. So, with hindsight, Sam had realized Mark hadn't been a great first choice to reveal her secret.

When she'd replayed their conversation over in her mind for the fourth time, she decided she couldn't drive herself crazy any longer, particularly since she couldn't – or didn't want to – change anything she had admitted, so she gave up on trying to rest. She was up, showered, and dressed before 0630 the next morning. Breakfast was still a quiet, and tense, affair but Sam tried not to let her unease show and concentrated on her nieces and nephew.

They were in the middle of discussing their plans for the day when the doorbell rang and Sam frowned. It was just after nine o'clock and she didn't expect to have any visitors this early. She opened the door and was surprised to see the General standing on the front step; he looked relaxed, although his eyes were hidden by his shades but she could feel his gaze on her as he looked her up and down.

"General."

"Carter," he greeted, "sleep well?"

She knew he already knew the answer and he nodded once at her silence. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she stepped aside to let him into the house.

She winced; her question sounded more blunt than she'd intended. Jack removed his sunglasses and canted his head at her question.

"I mean," she amended, "I'm surprised to see you here. Sir."

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No! Not at all. We were just in the kitchen."

He gestured for her to lead the way and when they entered the kitchen, Liz was the first to notice his arrival.

"General O'Neill," she smiled. "It's nice to see you again."

"Morning, Liz," he said, "and it's Jack."

"I didn't think we'd be seeing you again so soon, _Jack._

"_Mark –"_

"It's alright, Carter," Jack said calmly. "I was just checking in to see if you'd gone over the details for the memorial service?"

Sam shook her head. "No, I was going to do it later. Has something changed, sir?""

"No, no," he said lightly, but then Sam noticed he was holding a folder in his left hand. He tapped it lightly against his thigh.

"What's in the file, Sir?"

He read the silent question in her eyes, but shook his head in response. "Nothing that wasn't allowed to leave the base, Carter."

A slightly uncomfortable silence fell in the kitchen and Sam was thankful when Liz was the one to break it. "Um, we should probably get going if we want to be back for lunch."

Sam nodded. "Right." At the General's confused look, she smiled. "We're heading to the store; while Daniel and Teal'c did a great job yesterday, they didn't bring enough food to feed all of us for an entire week."

"I see," Jack nodded. "Is it just the two of you going?"

"Yeah," Sam answered distractedly as she looked for her keys. "Mark's staying to watch the kids." She froze and slowly turned to face him. "Why?"

He shrugged. "No reason."

Sam arched a brow at his dubious answer, but instead he fixed Mark with a look.

"Actually, this is good. If the kids are out playing in the yard, I can have a little chat with your brother."

**TBC…**


End file.
